amtrak
by Alice Hall
only lifeline
slow too
on the march
toward decline
that life
across country
like lurching corpse
dragging limb
behind it
held on by
thread of
sinew. busted
union, dissolved
of limping
empire builder
station to
station
hellos labor
of track
to track unpaid
rip the state
apart piece by
piece: place
the track
pace at high speed
build a life out of
oil slick &
dumb hope
when you never
smiled for any photo
I took of you you smile now