heaven | poem

poetry

away from humdrum,

released from the cage of

counted hours,

he was a young man

who bought one-way tickets

to far off places,

a restless soul

conditioned

by an unrooted

upbringing

taken and given to new lands.

-

on a train

the man moved

south between the barley fields

of Bohemia—

drunk on the possibility  

of one more

unknown face

found up ahead.

somewhere

out there

rain

began to fall.

-

on the train

with manual levers

he moved through a valley

where iron tracks

bent the earth.

-

the train stopped

at a tiny station

with a pub

built from wood.

the young man entered

a hut shaped pub  

sat on a stool

at the bar

and ordered beer,

beneath a cloud of smoke.

-

the man watched men

and women

with raison skin

and swollen limbs,

gulp down

golden jars of beer

before placing coins on the table

for one more.

-

the young man

had one hour

before his next train

would depart,  

he chose to drink

what they drank

embrace a silence

that gave way to the sound

of falling rain.

-

two beers later

a train

came screeching

to a halt.

-

the young man stood

from his stool

smiled

at an expressionless

barmaid

with a towel over

a shoulder

and pointed stare that struck

the young man

like a primal scream,

unheard

among the downpour

of valley rain.