freaking totalled

Hanging out at dVerse Poets Pub with Lillian’s theme: It’s all in the timing…


 

freight train slows slightly

unmarked crossing ahead

pick-up driver approaches

eyes on cellular de-vice

engineer lays on horn:

whaaaaaa – whaa – whaa!

 

conductor squirms/gasps

“We’re gonna hit him!”

“Whaaaaat?!”

 

oh deer! in headlights stare

driver brakes in nick of time

dull thunk… huge iron horse

deflects truck like a pop can

spins away from death’s rails

truck and driver leaking fluid.

21 Comments (+add yours?)

  1. Sanaa Rizvi's avatar Sanaa Rizvi
    Dec 15, 2016 @ 13:41:40

    Such an artful response to the prompt.. my heart jumped a little!

    Reply

  2. katiemiafrederick's avatar katiemiafrederick
    Dec 14, 2016 @ 23:11:11

    Hello Lynn
    again.. sort
    of near the end
    for now.. and oh
    Goodness.. the freight train
    literal and metaphor has
    so many
    uses
    these
    days
    coming
    through tunnels
    oF liGht or NoT..;)

    Reply

  3. janicead's avatar janicead
    Dec 14, 2016 @ 18:49:19

    Oh, my, yes, leaking all around.

    Reply

  4. Victoria C. Slotto's avatar Victoria C. Slotto
    Dec 14, 2016 @ 17:08:47

    We had a similar incident here in Northern Nevada not long ago, but there were a number who didn’t make it. We are not far from the train tracks that run along the I-80 corridor. If he is the engineer that lays on his whistle on Thursday morning around 2 AM, please ask him to cool it! Just teasing. There used to be one who did that long-long-short-long wail and it made you think he was angry at all of us who got to sleep. It’s better now.

    Reply

    • lynn__'s avatar lynn__
      Dec 14, 2016 @ 19:54:29

      Yes, my son is an engineer and gets feedback like this 😉 If there’s been an accident, sometimes they’re required to sound horn more often on future runs.

      Reply

  5. Grace's avatar Grace
    Dec 14, 2016 @ 16:52:09

    Such a terrifying encounter ~ It happens everyday here too with trains and animals on the long stretch of road ~ Take care Lynn ~

    Reply

  6. Misky's avatar Misky
    Dec 14, 2016 @ 14:49:16

    Scary stuff, Lynn.

    Reply

  7. Björn Rudberg (brudberg)'s avatar Björn Rudberg (brudberg)
    Dec 14, 2016 @ 13:25:12

    The de-vice here is so clever… and what a sad tale of waste, and so many victims beside the driver of the truck… I couldn’t hit like on this (though it was well written)

    Reply

  8. Janice's avatar Janice
    Dec 14, 2016 @ 10:02:03

    A tale in itself told in an artful way. The de-vice reference is perfect.

    Reply

  9. Waltermarks's avatar Waltermarks
    Dec 14, 2016 @ 09:41:27

    Both he and the train were leaking, i’ll bet, ha ha! You had me on the edge of my seat

    Reply

  10. lillian's avatar lillian
    Dec 14, 2016 @ 07:59:12

    Oh my……I hope you are not in this narrative! Railroad crossings and drivers of any kind with cellphone in hand are definitely not a good mix. Inclusion of the deer in headlights and huge iron horse…good mentions here within this poetic narrative. So glad to see you here today! 🙂

    Reply

    • lynn__'s avatar lynn__
      Dec 14, 2016 @ 08:04:06

      My son is an engineer…this sort of thing happens too often! Thanks, Lillian…glad to be here. (The pick-up driver is glad to still be here too!)

      Reply

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