Ive been round the world twice
died in the fighting rains
celebrated mother
and her hands full of jewels.
I walked out of the most perfect picture,
a surrogate remained
but no one noticed the scratches on the frame.
I was content there
happy in my mineral bath
with no reason to leave
but one night out of the blue
I jumped on a freight train
I always wanted to see the Midwest
I always wanted to make certain of that
we long for things, and we can’t put them down
until its all we can think about
I wasn’t born that night
under the travellers moon
but was woken up to something I had forgotten
so long ago I don’t know if it was ever there
or if I just filled in the spaces
but it matters little now as I rattle along the tracks
oil and dust settle in the creases of my skin
but it feels good
like it is balancing an existence so predetermined.
we live like we are playing board games
can see so many steps ahead the anticipation is lost
this moment is the only chance I have to let that all go
because nothing lasts
even a black locomotive steaming through the night
can only conceal me for so long
and soon I am gathered up inside a glass ball
carried over alpine meadows back north
the geese are returning too
I can see the grime from the box car smeared across their feathers