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You expertly, beautifully captured many memeories I have watching a train
during walks and even during snowy nights. The light at the end of the caboose is so graphic, I can actually see it...and hear the softly, disappearing clang of iron wheels. Bravo!
http://www.flickr.com/images/spaceball.gif
posted by
ILLUMINATI8
on October 19, 2006 at 3:38 PM
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Mason
Trains are very romantic to watch. Such power and raw energy.
posted by
avant-garde
on October 19, 2006 at 3:23 PM
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Bhaskar
Thanks, my friend.
posted by
avant-garde
on October 19, 2006 at 3:22 PM
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sannhet
I see the association. Never thought of it that way before.
posted by
avant-garde
on October 19, 2006 at 3:22 PM
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SYMPHONY
Thanks!
posted by
avant-garde
on October 19, 2006 at 3:21 PM
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Moxie
They have Am-Tracks where I work in North Carolina. Those things really move.
posted by
avant-garde
on October 19, 2006 at 3:21 PM
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Whacky
I used to wait for the open box cars to look for hobos. I've seen a few in my time.
posted by
avant-garde
on October 19, 2006 at 3:21 PM
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Bright Irish
Thanks for the visit. How are you doing?
posted by
avant-garde
on October 19, 2006 at 3:20 PM
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TAPS
I don't know! Maybe budget cuts. lol.
posted by
avant-garde
on October 19, 2006 at 3:19 PM
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Justi
We don't see many trains here. My boys just get mesmerized when one passes while in another city.
posted by
avant-garde
on October 19, 2006 at 3:19 PM
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...for a moment you took me back some fifty years.. to when I was
a child sitting on the river bank and watching the frieght trains go over the bridge... well written!
posted by
MasonGarrett
on October 18, 2006 at 2:57 PM
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avant, very well expressed in clarity and brevity.
posted by
Bhaskar.ing
on October 18, 2006 at 12:28 PM
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Avant -
While I loved this, it actually made me think of the train as a metaphor for losing touch with Divinity - rushing by headlong into the abyss, not taking the time to truly see the path that lay ahead; the destruction of now in the pursuit of then . . .
posted by
sannhet
on October 18, 2006 at 12:19 PM
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"turgid" is a rather fine word
posted by
_dave_says_ack_
on October 18, 2006 at 7:48 AM
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Wow, what a wonderful post......
posted by
_Symphony_
on October 18, 2006 at 1:20 AM
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Whacky, you missed the boat
so many waved at you!!!
posted by
Moxie_Maven
on October 17, 2006 at 10:33 PM
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Whew! I felt the rush of air as the train passed!
No one to wave at though.
posted by
Whacky
on October 17, 2006 at 10:29 PM
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avant-garde
Thank you for the awesome discription!
posted by
BrightIrish
on October 17, 2006 at 9:19 PM
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avant-garde, very nicely written. You know, there are no caboosas here any more. Why don't the trains have a caboose now?
posted by
TAPS.
on October 17, 2006 at 8:34 PM
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AV
You have made romance out of a clanking train passing. Your book will be wonderful. I love your writing.
posted by
Justi
on October 17, 2006 at 7:16 PM
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Lucky you. I'd like to be able to se the sky in winter, Avant, it's what
drives the whole city mad, about March.
posted by
Blanche.
on October 17, 2006 at 4:39 PM
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Blanche
The sky here is awesome. The trouble is by the time I get around to looking at it, I'm so tired that studying it is pointless. The Milky Way appears as a veil cast across the firmament.
posted by
avant-garde
on October 17, 2006 at 4:36 PM
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Astronomy must be fascinating, Avant, I can only recognize the basic
constellation: the big dipper. Partly because I'm so near-sighted and partly because it's so often overcast in the NW, that astronomy is a moot point.
Anyway, you're right, it should be worshipped as the one thing that is the most common bond we all share. Nearly every time I look up to the sky, I think of the Ascension.
posted by
Blanche.
on October 17, 2006 at 3:34 PM
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Blanche
I used to really get into astronomy. I could tour the skies and point out most of the constellations. People on the fire department would test me and ask, "What's that?" I would say, "Venus."
posted by
avant-garde
on October 17, 2006 at 3:04 PM
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Blanche
Yes. The sky is a living, breathing entity that gives birth to us all. It should be worshipped.
posted by
avant-garde
on October 17, 2006 at 3:02 PM
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Avant, my first blog, as MaryX, "Under A Moody Sky", started out
unintentionally as a meditation on what the sky was doing first thing every morning, as a grounding exercise. It worked, I started trying to explore every adjective of light I could think of:
Luminous, lumened, irradiated, translucent, opaque, iridescent, luminescent, vitreous (glass-like), bejewelled, citrine, aquatic, aqueous. the list igoes on. It gave me an appreciation of weather I've never had before, and an acceptaance of the shifting changes, the beauty of even the dullest taupe, matte, or overcast sky.
and every shade of blue I could think of: ultramarine, cerulean, Wedgwood,
posted by
Blanche.
on October 17, 2006 at 2:57 PM
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Blanche
I have often thought of describing twilight in the heavens. Not so much about the setting of the sun, but the emergence of the luminaries.
posted by
avant-garde
on October 17, 2006 at 2:53 PM
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Blanche
The strange thing was that I was there to capture the sunrise photographically. The train was completely unexpected. I guess the best things aren't expected.
posted by
avant-garde
on October 17, 2006 at 2:52 PM
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The ephemeral, or "decisive" moment, Avant. I guess it works in words the
way it works in photography. Finding the right moment, and capturing it. Well done. I especially like the dawn indigo.
posted by
Blanche.
on October 17, 2006 at 2:40 PM
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ginnie
I was watching Lucas watch a train coming on our television this morning. It reminded me of a time I experienced this. It was very similar.
posted by
avant-garde
on October 17, 2006 at 2:31 PM
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Thank you avant!
posted by
ginnieb
on October 17, 2006 at 1:33 PM
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Blanche
Thanks. I tried to capture the magic of its coming and the swiftness of its departure.
posted by
avant-garde
on October 17, 2006 at 12:59 PM
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ginnie
Aren't they magical? Thanks for reading and imagining.
posted by
avant-garde
on October 17, 2006 at 12:58 PM
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sabsline
Thanks so much. It's nice to get good feedback.
posted by
avant-garde
on October 17, 2006 at 12:58 PM
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Mrs Tanga
Thank you!
posted by
avant-garde
on October 17, 2006 at 12:58 PM
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Avant Garde, this is stunning, some of your best work yet.
posted by
Blanche.
on October 17, 2006 at 11:45 AM
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You've painted a clear picture!
I could almost feel the train!
posted by
ginnieb
on October 17, 2006 at 11:21 AM
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well crafted!
posted by
Sabsline
on October 17, 2006 at 11:14 AM
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Beautiful writing!
Mrs Tanga
posted by
Tanga
on October 17, 2006 at 10:57 AM
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