The woowoo of my brother’s American Flyer
promised to carry me across some border
beyond the plaster of Paris mountain to green
ruggy meadows, where three thumb sized
elephants and one llama were perpetually
rounded up by a tiny German Shepard.
No hurry, but someday I’d wait with the plastic people
at the station. How sophisticated, the miniature
business man reading his toy paper, how stylish
the tiny women, chattering of sales and children
in their silver voices. If they had sent their voices
in thimbles to where I leaned in the sky above them,
still, I wouldn’t comprehend their meaning.
What did I know? As the train pulled around
the bend, it burped out bitter smoke. Its searchlight
arced across the track ahead, and in that sweep
I saw this was my final chance. I lowered
my gigantic child’s body rung by rung
till I could plant my sneaker, no bigger
than a grain of rice, on the first step.
The tiny station master took my arm
and with a deafening click, shut tight
his tiny watch. And we pulled away.
To read more of Jeanne Murray Walker’s poetry, go to www.depoetry.com/poets/200712/walkerjeanne.html.
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The Delaware Poetry Review, or DePoetry.com, is an online compilation of amazing, contemporary poetry gathered by a group of erudite editors based in the Mid-Atlantic Region. This notable compilation of poetry has been available since 2007, publishing new editions about once a year.
Each edition features a variety of poets chosen by the editors. This blog features our published poets.
More new works from the Mid-Atlantic Region are available at DePoetry.com. For feedback, contact depoet@capegazette.com or go to facebook.com/delawarepoetryreview.
