The Unscheduled Train
Listen in the distance and you will hear,
The rumble of the engine labored and deep,
Breaking the silence of the night as it gets near,
Intruding on the dreams of those that are fast asleep.

The sound of the whistle blowing in the distance,
Makes a lonesome and mournful sound,
Making us aware of its existence,
As it comes ever nearer the sleeping town.

One person is awake to hear the train approach,
The station master sitting in his chair,
Looking up the line with puzzled reproach,
With curiosity showing in his tired stare.

Nothing was scheduled to be on the track tonight,
But he had to monitor the telegraph key,
Besides, something just didn’t sound right,
With the engine he heard so he got up to see.

Stepping out of the depot and looking up the track,
He strained to catch sight,
He knew it should be visible soon in the black,
With the shine of the front running light.

He saw nothing coming up the line,
But he could hear the sound growing near,
He had a sudden chill that went down his spine,
He could not see, you see, but he could certainly hear.

The wind from the train whipped by his face,
Kicking up dirt and dust all around,
He could not believe what was taking place,
Maybe he was having a breakdown.

You see, the train went by on its way somewhere,
But there was nothing before his eyes,
He stood there reciting the Lord’s Prayer,
Trembling between his feeble cries.

All his life he had heard,
Of the Ghost Train that traveled by,
His tears caused his eyes to blur,
As to experience it meant he was going to die.

Copyright June 26, 2018 William M. Ward