Robert G. English

Albuquerque, NM

The Orphan Train

Recently I was told of a special train
The Orphan Train...from east to west it rolled down the track...
even in the dreary rain
From town to town...farm to farm the train tooted its lonely horn
Parentless the babes all newly born
Down on a farm away from the city
Silent crying of children meeting our pity
Their on a lonely platform a child offered up for adoption
Many families offered these children a new infatuation
Locomotives tracking across the land
A little orphan offered a helping hand
I happened to meet a Orphan Train survivor
She remembered all too vividly the train being her savior
She never remembered her parents she lost
She remembered her twin sister her eyes still teared at great cost
She knew it was for the better their final separation
Remembering past some eighty years of seperation...her tears still
told of sad indignation
She showed me an old picture taken of her twin sister back
around the turn of the century
A moment after emotion heavy tears brought faint fury
Separation swelled in chaotic tears
The train rolled on changing its gears
I want to stop here, but feel I must go on, but my thoughts
turned to quite silence
Feeling distant stares from east to west...my head went _____.
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