Police - You Know Smoking Is Not Good For You Poem by Paul Warren

Police - You Know Smoking Is Not Good For You



It was a cold clear winter’s night on an ordinary day
When he decided that in this life he wouldn’t stay
He walked around the streets and smoked a couple
Then at Bowden Station he decided to end his trouble
There was no one around and he climbed on down
Lying on the tracks to wait for the Adelaide bound

The track was the pillow where he rested his head
He thought of all the things that he learnt to dread
His family had given up on him the drugs had finally won
He lit a cigarette knowing it would be the last one
We found him that way after the train had left
Lit cigarette in hand and his severed head bereft.

© Paul Warren Poetry

Thursday, May 28, 2015
Topic(s) of this poem: death
POET'S NOTES ABOUT THE POEM
We were tasked one night to a suicide where a young man had laid on the railway line with the track as his pillow. He lit a cigarette and waited for the train to run over his head. This happened and we found him that way - the cigarette was still alight between his fingers. I wonder still how he could have done that just waiting for the train to do the deed, calming smoking.
COMMENTS OF THE POEM
Douglas Scotney 29 May 2015

Thanks Paul, I was at Bowden station yesterday and didn't even think of putting my head on the track. Now I'll be thinkin' every time.

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Paul Warren

Paul Warren

ADELAIDE, SOUTH AUSTRALIA
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