Railroad

Find her crumpled body, a forgotten map stashed.
Inside her folds run rivers across ancient tracks,
Lines abandoned since their sole transportive acts
Stretched faint by the weight of time.

Walk towards the rusted rumble; the forsaken train
Revving in the boneyard. A constellation of dark stars
Mark the scorched earth over her heart.

Hold the last remnants of giving land;
Smell the smoke-cured bone.
Then pull her to the train and say,
"This time you will not ride alone."

Watch cloud shadows clear and gather
Together inside the bullet of steel.
There is no arrival, only riding,
Worn machinery grinding
Past the declared stop of "healed"
For the next birth is not earthly—
Cry and call it a runaway train.

Still we have this autumnal shelter,
Sweet refuge from solitude in the rain.