Off the Rails ~ Don’t Race the Devil

The locomotive rattles by,

Its wheels hugging the rails.

No slowing down through crossings,

Don’t let those boom-gates fail.

It pulls into the station,

Freight to collect and drop.

Air brakes restrict its progress,

Slowly screeching to a stop.

Many different carriages

For livestock, fuel, and goods,

Rushing by the landscape,

Through city, desert, woods.

The Driver and the Fireman

Guide the charging beast,

Steady eyes fixed straight ahead,

Controlling speed at least.

Some foolish individuals

May try to race the devil,

Not stopping for red flashing lights

At crossings known as “level.”

They play a game of chicken

With rampaging tons of steel,

Putting lives at danger

Scant minutes for to steal.

The driver honks a warning