.5. Rusty Rails Poem by David Threadgold

Beside the rusting water tower
Where engines come to fill
From many years of dripping
Made ballast holes at will

It’s washed away the gravel
Near sleepers made of wood
No longer set down firmly
Some moving that’s not good

Rails move in their iron chairs
Oak blocks once made a key
Hammered in with mighty force
Now some are working free

The tank that holds the water
A handle you must pull
I never saw it pulled in time
It overflowed when full

A constant pool of water
In holes beneath the rail
Waiting for the day to come
When rust will make it fail


© 2008 David Threadgold
Rambling Riddles & Rhymes