I walked the rails

barefoot

wide-legged

straddling

my legs denied

the slats

of one train

on her way.


I walked the rails

with no shoes on
and never looked ahead.

I walked the levee

dreaming of

things that kids do--

this-n-that

of what it might be like

alone

of what it might be like

to catch

a freight train
just like Woody did

I thought of things like that

and dreamed
of being Bobby Dylan

cracked

with a Harmony
and strap

singing Joan's injustices
wishing that I could be mad
and graceful all at once...
with that
angelic beckoning...

I wanted to be all of them;
my-guitar-strapped-cross-my-back
staring at the slow train, come

before my toes would jump the rails
excited that I felt the train
rumbling through my spine's refrain
singing through my feet, insane

oh-damn-I-may-have-lost-some-stringx

off my guitar in tumbling
laughing down the thrill.

I thought:

"It must have been something like that..."
as I counted my tres strings
faking them in tune

and me

walking with my Harmony
rightback up the levee green

to sing

something

to fake a tune

sans a string or two.

Or three...

straddling the rails.