Motion Commotion Poem by James Gibbons

Rolling effortlessly Spinning steel wheels
Shouting military commands.
Safety arms lift Flashing amber, ringing bells Danger lights' turbulent warning.

Sudden locomotive commotion, Immediate noisy appearance Momentarily confused, The frightened air runs away.

Snorting charging iron beast Fleeting shape, lantern flickering Reciprocating motion Invincible rolling machine.

Cadre of coaches lined up, Lumbering elephants tail holding, following the stampeding leader.
Fleeting fleeing glimpses. Away swaying an endless array.
A motion picture video; This flickering passing parade. Blinking shuttered shapes A kaleidoscopes of blurred images.
Snorting clouds of steamy breath Huff and puffing, rise in circled plumes.

The valley grows smaller, smaller still until the gentle air breathes in the stillness. And exhales distant sounds of the long gone trains.