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15 April 2012

4am 4:40

4am 4:40 I hear the hiss of
current coasting through the veins of
bullhead rails points aligning for the first trains Monday Monday morning unbolting the dark red double doors using a small stool to reach the drop bolts kicking the flush bolts up with my feet stacking leaflet racks with tube maps and registration forms listening to the metered steps of the first stoic commuters tapping tired oyster cards gates wheezing open the sound these small motors make not yet lost in a rush of thudding feet jackdaws gathering carefully on the fringes watching every crumb watching every crumb as branch lines and sidings awake oozing trains p.a announcements and platitudes I remind the gentleman in the plaid two button suit to stand behind the yellow line a glare a smile a glare a smile the first squeal of wheels as an eight car slinks out of 34 road slowly into the platform doors opening like a row of sleepy eyes awaking

11 comments:

Brian Miller said...

whew...love this and i like the form all mashed up as it sets a rapid pace as i imagine the day to be and the trains in and out...i like much cat...

Claudia said...

nice..love the flow..the missing punctuation..works really well with that piece...and love the row of sleepy eyes...very cool..the london tube IS way cool

cat cray said...

Thank you both, it was one of those poems that could go on and on and on so I had to stop somewhere so the dishes get done!

Unknown said...

Very cool. Love the style you chose, in and of itself very resemblant to the crowded and compacted nature within the subway itself. and the aspect of observation within the piece I found very strong as well. Great write. thanks

Anonymous said...

You Defintateky capture the spirit of the underground- maybe one of the few poems that have applied a unique form to the prompt- reading this was just like sitting on the Victoria line! It just raced by and loved all the observations as you put us right there in your minds eye- great poem

Unknown said...

wow, this sounds like it's first-hand experience, I mean from the engineers part. Did you work for or know someone who did work. The poem is tres cool fir that reason, not to mention the very cool way you bring all out in a rush that reminds me a little of Beckett, but less dark and foreboding. This has a cheerfulness about it that makes the technology and routine engrossing.

Anonymous said...

Loved this...felt like it was me...Great write!

cat cray said...

I'm work as a station supervisor for London Underground :-)

cat cray said...

And by I'm I mean I!

adan said...

the joycean-like stream of consciousness really works for me cat, great fluidity; and like charles says, sort beckett-ish too but much much less dark ;-) more like capturing the train-like halting moving smoothly-chopped motion, nice! thanks ;-)

^.^ said...

Hi cat ... excellent poem ... just dicovered you via Brian ... will be back ... so we can have a cat chat ... somewhat ... meow. Love cat. (http://catsruledogsdroole.blogspot.com/)