4 Southwest Chief/LA Central

(copyrighted material, Coffee House Press)

#4 Southwest Chief/LA Central
FOR DERYA AND HEID

The sheen of incandescent lamppost light travels this rail,
up ahead the Conductor
reminds us, if there’s anything
we can do to make your trip worthless just let us know
and no one cracks a smile.

This Amtrak car glides between
concrete pillars wrapped with steel for quake protection.
Projects plastered in graffiti by day now sink into 9: 00 p.m. comfortable-
this time of night you’d think they were condos

if you rode this rail for the first time.

What I see is concertina riding chain link fence tops-
as if there is an escape attempt due any moment.

[...] Read more

poem by Allison Hedge Coke
Added by Poetry Lover
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