Personality Of Trains

By Alexandre Amprimoz
 

I

from express
to tgv and accelerato

I spoke in tongues
of forgotten trains

some could be trusted
other never left on time

never met any other train
but never reached destination

and there were those
who decided

to find their way
to train graveyards

of central Europe
for early retirement

was not an option

II

to watch me go by
sunflowers would turn

their heads
but I looking

through the window
would see my young face

vastly improved
by the landscape

the sunset must have felt
threatened for like you

I aged for no other reason

III

the click of easy girls
were not locked for me

in abandoned tunnels
and I could whistle 

to confuse conductors
who never heard of bizet

there was a time
when tired grisettes

would wake up on your shoulder
smile for you assumed

pillow function
for rings

and messages
from god’s disconnected number

winnowing was an art
you had to pick

the healthy ones
carry a lemon in your pocket

from Portugal to Mozambique
nostalgia was not absolute

for the kindness of strangers
was already a double-edged sword

Alexandre Amprimoz is a poet, critic, translator, writer and programmer. He teaches Modern Languages, Literatures and Cultures at Brock University, St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada. Books include: A Season For Birds: Selected poems by Pierre Morency. Translation. Toronto: Exile Press, 1990; Venice At Her Mirror: Essay by Robert Marteau.  Translation.  Toronto: Exile Press, 1990; Nostalgies de l'ange. Ottawa: Editions du Vermillon, 1993. He has recently published poems in: The Antigonish Review, Velvet illusion, Octavo, DMQ, Poet'sCanvas, Dégaine ta rime, Résurrétion, Hélices and LittéRéalité, Triplopia, Sidereality, etc.

He has been nominated for the Push Cart Prize several times.

Contact Alexandre L. Amprimoz

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