Rapid Approaches The Holiday 

©-2013-Matthew F. Blowers III 
Art~Whimsically Yours Studio 

HEAR THE RAPID.... 
RAPIDLY APPROACHING 
METAL SCREAMS ON 
BITTER FROZEN RAILS 
BODIES SHUFFLE AND BUMP 
FIFTY EN MASSE THRU 
ONE TINY DOOR 
ALL SEATS ARE FESTIVAL 
FIRST COME, LESS SWERVED 
ALL GOES BY IN A BLUR 
THOUSANDS OF BRIGHTLY 
TINY COLORED LIGHTS 
DOT THE NIGHT SKY 
HUGE HOMES FULL OF WARMTH 
AND HOLIDAY CHEER 
SO MUCH SO... 
THAT IT EXUDES OUTSIDE 
IN EXPENSIVE DISPLAYS 
OF NON-CHUTZPAH 
WHILE IN THE DEPTHS OF 
THE PROJECTS A SINGLE 
ELECTRIC CANDLE LIGHTS 
AN UN-SHADED ROOM 
THE STREETS EMPTY 
OF ALL BUT THE GLOOM 
THREE DAYS BEFORE CHRISTMAS 
IT WOULD BE HERE 
THAT THE CHRIST CHILD 
WOULD BED IF IT WAS 
HIS TIME TO COME TONIGHT 
IN A HUMBLE HOVEL 
EAST OF LUXURY 
GOSPEL NOTES 
TRANSCENDING ABOVE 
HIS ANGELIC FACE 
ON THE ARMY COT MANGER 
IN A SHELTER OF THE 
HOMELESS AND DESTITUTE 
HE WOULD BRING WARMTH 
AND ETERNAL HOPE 
THE WEALTHY WOULD 
TRAIPSE FOR MILES 
TO GET A GLIMPSE... 
BEARING GIFTS OF GOLD 
AND TOKENS OF THEIR 
10 PERCENT TITHES 
TO THIS HOLY GIFT FROM ABOVE 
BUT IT WOULD BE 
THE SMILE OF A HUNGRY CHILD 
SEEING THE ANSWER 
TO HIS FEARS THAT 
WOULD OUTSHINE ALL 
THE 14 KARAT INSINCERITY 
AROUND ME I SEE 
SO MANY TRAVELERS 
PEOPLE ON THE TRAIN 
ALL LOOKING DOWN 
AS IF THE ANSWERS 
TO LIFE LAY 
ON THE DIRT STAINED 
FLOOR OF THIS CAR 
SOME STARE INTO 
THE NIGHT LIKE ME 
PAST THE REFLECTION 
OF ANOTHER 
YEARS WORTH OF AGE 
IN THE DUSTY WINDOW 
WONDERING AT THE LIVES 
THAT GO ON 
IN THE WINDOWS THAT FLIT BY 
IN THE MANY HUNDREDS OF HOUSES 
IS THERE JOY IN THOSE 
ROOMS OF SOULS 
OR SORROW THAT MAKES 
HOLIDAYS SEEM FUTILE 
ANOTHER RAPID PASSES 
BY TO OUR LEFT 
FACES LOOOKING BRIEFLY AT 
OTHER FACES LOOKING BRIEFLY 
AT PEOPLE GOING BY IN 
OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS 
AND YET ALL ON THE SAME PATH 
THE BUILDINGS OF THE CITY 
STAND LIKE COLOSSAL 
TOMBSTONES TO THE MEMORIES 
WE ALL HAD AS CHILDREN COMING

DOWNTOWN TO SEE SANTA 
AND ICE SKATE 
AND EAT SWEET GUMDROPS 
AND SUGARY TREATS 
THEN MY REMINISCING'S RUDELY

INTERRUPTED AS AS THE

TRAIN LURCHES TO A STOP 
BODIES SWAYING LIKE 
MECHANICAL DANCERS 
ON A RICKETY WINDUP TOY 
TILL THE BENT AND OLD 
HOBBLE OFF FIRST 
FOLLOWED BY THE YOUNGER 
BUT DISILLUSIONED 
TINY CHILDREN IN TOW 
WONDERING AT THIS 
NIGHT JOURNEY 
FOLLOWING DUTIFULLY 
IN THE FOOTSTEPS 
OF THEIR FATHER AND 
MOTHER'S YESTERYEAR'S 
THE TRAIN PULLS AWAY EMPTY 
DISGORGED OF IT'S FLESHY BURDEN 
TURNING AROUND TO BRING

MORE BACK TO WARM HOMES 
AND SEMI-HEATED HOVELS 
PICKING UP THE 
CASTAWAYS OF LIFE 
IN A WINTER'S DECEMBER STORM 
AND DROPPING THEM CLOSER 
TO WHAT'S FAMILIAR 
FOR A SMALL FEE AND 
A FORCED SMILE 
"HAPPY HOLIDAYS"... 
THE DRIVER MUMBLES 
AS HE FACES SEVEN MORE HOURS 
OF GOING OVER AND 
OVER THE SAME TRACKS 
THAT NEVER LEAD HIM 
FURTHER THEN RETIREMENT 
AND A RECLINER THAT 
FEELS LIKE IT'S MOVING 
I DISAPPEAR IN A 
FLURRY OF SNOW 
SWALLOWED UP BY 
REVOLVING DOORS 
THAT LEAD TO A BETTER UNDERSTANDING 
OF THE HURRY OF THE SEASON 
AND A RAPID DISSIPATION OF 
ANOTHER YEAR GONE BY 
ELEVEN BAGS LATER TIRED FEET 
CLIMB SLOWLY UP INTO THE RAPID 
AND COLLAPSE ON A BENCH 
WELL WORN 
AS THE TRAIN HEADS 
ACROSS THE ICY TRAILS 
OF RAILS UPON WHICH WE ARE 
TRANSPORTED BACK 
TO OUR MOST 
FAMILIAR PLACE THAT 
WE CALL HOME....... 

May all your journeys this Holiday Season be as filled with wonderment and understanding and some desire to be more charitable to our fellow passengers on this long ride through life