3:15 Experiment Poem: August 28, 2005–the early morning shift
December 22, 2008
3:15am Sunday August 28, 2005
moon is out again tonight
late riser on the early morning shift
train’s whistle harmonizes
with the moonlight
rumble of the tracks
bleeds into the roar of a plane
plane melts into
car tires on the freeway
quiet again place
until train whistles
it’s the engineer actually
someone else awake working this night
trains go by often
without signifying
how is it or why that
these engineers decide whether
to let loose the whistle
is it the moon
the engineer the time?
what do they know
that I don’t?
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5 Comments
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art predator 
I like how you end up contemplative after beginning with just the sights and sounds of the early mrning. In the summer we live in a campground not far from treain tracks, a highway, and an airport. I’ll think of this poem when I can’t sleep because of all the outside activity! Love it!
Hi! I”m new to POetry Train. Describing the sounds with the visuals awakens our senses as if we were there in the middle of the night. All is not quiet in the wee hours. ( I also work shift work, but at home as a nightowl in my studio.) Nicely penned.
This is so concrete. I can hear the sounds so well.
Thanks for riding the train!
symmetry in poetry or what?
Meditative… Beautiful description of a moment. I use to live near train tracks, and I dunno, I always loved hearing the sound of the whistle, and the train racing by, shaking the entire house. I especially loved it on a night when the moon was full. Thanks
linda, how wonderful to live in a campground all summer –but close to trains, airport and hwy?? nights can be like that–all this noise out of nowhere and then quiet. i hope you will join us htis summer doing the 315 experiment!
hi, emerald eyes–welcome to the train!! yes, i am a night owl too–i love how it is so much more quiet and calm at night than during the day–it helps my mind stay focused on my writing.
thanks, guatami! doing the 315 keeps me grounded–my mind is too sleepy for much reflective reverie!
thank you, cocoyea, i like to liste to the trains more than hear them shake the house! we live in earth quake country and i was near the epicenter of the big quake in the bay area 20 years ago–seems like yesterday!