Notes From A Metro Line
Search and Rescue inspect the subway after 9-11 attacks.
Trade Center – MBTA Silver_Line
Dverse poets asked us to write about what we learnt or felt about times that have gone from Darkness to the Light. Since tomorrow is the anniversary of 9-11, I decided to write a poem about the destruction of the subway, a rather dark place, even when there aren’t terrorist attacks. However, since WTC came down, the MBTA station has been rebuilt and is quite a bright and beautiful place.
Notes From A Metro Line
fragile arcs caught by gleaming hues
weave magic, elude sight.
silver crowned unicorns
curl on incoming rainbow,
decamp south
to lodge from journeys end,
awake from oblivion,
like jewels on an inanimate face.
embittered minutemen
on the express, caress collision.
metropolitan heroes
crushed on rush hour train,
breathe the stench
of another’s warm lunch sandwich,
slick lettuce curled,
no time for consumption.
subway spray overlays
vacuous white non-visaged,
empty headed faces forward —
flutter in spiritual positions
most humans occupy these days.
on the intimate horizon,
though a dark pane,
a plethora of iridescent
glow-in-the-dark paint splatter
stupefies artistic vision.
green ocean spray choreography
river snakes unnoticed,
stealing along shiny park grass,
through faux city boulevards
dumped beyond urban walls.
as we ride the rattle can,
angels fly in masterpieces
strewn around fairy tale readings
found in museums above.
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Written for:
Poetics–Bringing Light to Darkness
Image credits: wikepedia entry World Trade Center (MBTA station) and North Shore Journal Article September 11 – photos to remember that day
Posted on September 10, 2014, in Uncategorized and tagged 9-11, dverse, dVerse Poets Pub, MBTA Silver Line, metro, new york city, NYC, poetry prompt, poetry sharing, prompted poem, Search and Rescue New York City, september 11, subway, world trade center, WTC. Bookmark the permalink. 13 Comments.
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ZONGRIK 
Such vivid, emotional descriptions (and, on a lighter note, I love the “rattle can”). Well done.
This is so well done, Tammy. The details make it painfully alive and the addition of the angels in the museum add a powerful touch of irony. Wow.
I like your description of the “rattle can”. I rode those subways when I was young. Haven’t been there after 9/11. Nice that you remembered and wrote about that infamous anniversary.
your amazing use of metaphor added light to a piece about such a dark day… Great take on the prompt 🙂
A nice jump on tomorrow, 13 years ago, a lifetime for some children, a cosmic blink on the great wheel of history, & tonight our President declared war on ISIS, pretending not to commit combat troops–but too soon, as in Viet Nam for several years, American advisors will die & in 2016, the next President will inherit another War; damn, all these thoughts spilling out post-reading of your wonderful poem, making me believe you visit this subway station daily; strong, stirring, angry with a killer close, & the fifth stanza really shines; excellent job on the prompt & the tribute.
Your description makes the Metro come alive. 🙂
Wow..you packed an astounding amount of imagery in your words here..and always good to remember this darkness to with respect like this..:)
That smell of the neighbors sandwich – that one really caught me.. A metro is like an organism, and we its passengers fill its belly with our beings ..
angels fly in masterpieces… those closing lines are so powerful, poignant, tearing at the heart.
a magical poem and nice reflection of dark events.
If you get a chance read my article about a painter who painted the attack in 1998. http://moondustwriter.com/2014/09/11/piere-chalory-and-the-twin-towers-911-nyc-art/
Just saw your tweet on this now and stopped by for a read. Thank you for sharing. Your words and images fill me with such a mix of emotions. This is very poignant for those of us who have ridden that original train to the foot of Manhattan to visit the WTC.
Perfect take on the prompt, so organized and full of emotion! Thanks for stopping by. Sorry for taking so long. My life is somewhat bizarre these days.
This was amazing I had to post it.