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Railroaded
by Kristine BrieseIn the dream, time has
swallowed its own tail,
making me a child again,
making my family whole again:
mother with father,
sister with sister.
The fact that we are all
dead and bluish,
despite our animation,
may or may not be significant.
We have come to our
new home. Everything
in this house is white:
walls, clothes, consciences.
The main front room
has two exits, one of which
leads to a spiral stairway.
My family circles up.
The other door leads to
a small square room,
as empty and Spartan as
the rest of the house.
Starting at the doorway,
I sidestep slowly along
the edges of the room,
keeping my back to the wall.
I finish where I started.
Bolder, I walk across
the center of the room.
I stop in front of a
huge fireplace that
dominates the opposite wall.
It is composed of white brick.
A small silver button,
the size of a quarter,
is set into the floor
before the fireplace.
I hesitate for one moment,
then step on the button.
Instantly, with an explosion
of sound and a rush of color,
the room transforms itself.
The walls turn bottle green
and move back to enlarge
the room. Bookshelves build
themselves and fill up with
worn volumes. A roaring fire
bursts into being. An unseen
panel in the center of the floor
flips up, and an enormous desk
rises from below. It is shaped
like an old-fashioned locomotive
engine, black and solid and
unforgivably conspicuous.
A polished brass plate
bearing the number 1980
is bolted to the front.
Dismayed, I step on the
button again. Just as quickly,
the room is restored to
its former pristine order.
I hear a throat clear
behind me and I turn.
My father says,
"This will be your room.
You have the most to hide."
12/27/2002 Posted on 12/27/2002
Copyright © 2024 Kristine Briese
| Member Comments on this Poem |
| Posted by JD Clay on 12/28/02 at 03:55 AM I love a poem with impact and this one hits like a brick. Superbly written Kristine.
Peace... |
| Posted by Chris Sorrenti on 12/29/02 at 01:57 AM Incredible piece of work, Kristine. Superb descriptiveness throughout building up to that grand finale last stanza, which leads to multiple interpretations. Kudos gal! |
| Posted by Lori Johnson on 12/31/02 at 02:49 PM *GASP* WOW, Kristine.....*clapping* You had me all the way to the end. Vivid imagery, love the last line. I could go on & on. I do believe this is my favorite from your library. Have you taken the advice (though long winded) LOL of Don, I must know??
*still clapping* |
| Posted by Lori Johnson on 12/31/02 at 02:50 PM Oh....& a nomination for POTD there too. ;)
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| Posted by Christina Bruno on 12/31/02 at 07:04 PM lol do you ever ceast your brilliance! |
| Posted by Jeanne Marie Hoffman on 05/07/03 at 04:41 PM I really like the opening statement: "In the dream, time has
swallowed its own tail,
making me a child again," A great opening to the poem, good job |
| Posted by Charles E Minshall on 05/18/03 at 12:59 AM Funtastic poem to read Kris....Charlie |
| Posted by Don Coffman on 08/21/03 at 08:00 AM Wow... I don't even know if I can come up with the right words to remark on something like this. It's amazing. |
| Posted by Rachelle Howe on 09/11/03 at 03:49 AM the ending took my breath away. literally. i said, "oh, f*$% me!" ...this is brilliant, and haunting. chilling to the bone. god, i'm in awe. |
| Posted by Ken Harnisch on 09/14/03 at 06:25 AM rarely does a poem blow you away, first line to last, replete with such gorgeous imagery and potential meaning..this one does, in spades! |
| Posted by Lori Johnson on 09/19/03 at 08:30 PM Re-read....& still amazed. :)
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| Posted by Aaron Howard on 10/19/03 at 02:24 PM gret work! Awesome poem...no wonder it was suggested as POTD!!! ::Huggz:: |
| Posted by Maureen Glaude on 10/19/03 at 06:38 PM the beginning hooked me right away, with the superb tail-swallowing of time. That is amazing. And the rest did not disappoint. Dreams are such fodder! |
| Posted by Quentin S Clingerman on 10/19/03 at 11:59 PM Indeed full of suspense. Like a coat of many colors this I am sure has many interpretations. Congratulations on POTD! |
| Posted by Rachelle Howe on 10/20/03 at 12:13 AM oh honey! CONGRATS ON POTD!!!!! MUCH MUCH MUCH MUCH MUCH DESERVED! |
| Posted by JD Clay on 10/20/03 at 01:41 AM This remarkable poem was destined to rise to the top, Kristine. Congratulations!
Peace... |
| Posted by Chris Sorrenti on 10/20/03 at 01:54 AM Excellent choice for POTD. Congrats Kris! |
| Posted by Laura Doom on 05/28/07 at 05:25 PM Dreams are dreams, replete with dimensions, but this one enjoys a creative, appetizing surfeit when served with hors d'oeuvre title and concluding dessert :)
(This one from 'most read' list - no surprises there) |
| Posted by Anastasia Selby on 10/22/08 at 06:09 PM the symbolism in this is gorgeous...and the imagery. I feel like I could have opened a book and seen this poem, it is Awesome. |
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