Poems about Trains: A Journey Through Words

Trains have always captured the imagination of poets, serving as a metaphor for life's journey, a symbol of movement and change, and a reminder of industrial progress. The rhythmic chugging of the locomotive and the clickety-clack of the tracks have inspired poets to write about the sights, sounds, and emotions associated with train travel. Let's explore some poems that celebrate the beauty and power of trains.

1. "The Railway train" by Emily Dickinson

In this poem, Emily Dickinson describes the experience of a train passing by, evoking feelings of excitement and wonder. The train is portrayed as a symbol of speed and progress, rushing past the speaker with its "majestic feet." The poem captures the sense of motion and energy associated with trains, as well as the fleeting nature of time.

The Railway train
Is best modelled at Night
The Sun as grinds away,
And the wailing Prowlets—Fleet
That does not repel
Is wonderful to me
Then—as Black—a bolt from the Blue
Driving—only Blue Morning—shout—slips,lonsails Bull
Like magic stiffened with ice—
I have only lain upon my soul—
Still having Spirit-Speak—
My feet that behave of someone or another
Sheer guess what spacemiling—
Space or no disbelief—
If you have courage put it to your Lips
You can lose it as a pen
That could not write—of Woe: As when our Ties are broken—
Living together in varying degrees—
On varied hours—

2. "The Night Train" by Eavan Boland

In this haunting poem, Eavan Boland explores the themes of loss and longing through the metaphor of a night train. The train becomes a symbol of separation and distance, as it carries the speaker away from a loved one. The poem captures the loneliness and darkness of the night train journey, as well as the sense of inevitability that comes with moving forward.

The Night Train
My mother is sooty with the journey,
Much of her torn away on the line and the grind
That wore itself down with hills.
You are ghosts.
I saw you first at dusk
At a bend, like a hobbling fox
Keen to cast back what I feared I might lose.
Then my mother's face at the gate
Turned towards you as her hands
Moved out apart to send a signal.
And now you are the town
To me. Singing through the ash
Of your obituaries and bad legends.
And my mother is always in the yard,
Rolling tobacco in her palm.
I loved your way.
My mother was nearly the bog and the palm.
I loved your way.

3. "Whistle" by Yusef Komunyakaa

In this evocative poem, Yusef Komunyakaa captures the power and allure of the train's whistle. The whistle becomes a symbol of longing and freedom, calling the speaker to embark on a journey of self-discovery. The poem explores the sensory experience of hearing the whistle blow, as well as the emotional impact it has on the speaker.

Whistle
Riding steel, twisting where the railroad tracks stand up,
and crossties balance him like a wirewalker,
he moves to the erratic beat
of train by night.
Pallor of lampshades hang behind half-closed windows,
Veils to be hung from the stars, to lie over the moon.
Past the jagged teeth of a busted fence,
he totters in hobnailed boots,
sensitive to how the end must mirror the beginning,
for once the whistle bruises the night
he recalls the brawny fires within its tunnel
melting rock to a pool of sky.
Maybe he's waiting for his heart to roll over
and give the gunners one clear shot to bring him down.
In the flicker of a closed eye, his face rusts with the last gleam.

Poems about trains have a timeless quality that resonates with readers, capturing the essence of travel, nostalgia, and the passage of time. Whether celebrating the beauty of a locomotive in motion or exploring the emotions tied to train travel, these poems offer a unique glimpse into the world of trains and the experiences they inspire. As we journey through life, may these poems remind us of the power and wonder of the trains that carry us forward.