His N scale model railway,
Unfinished to this day…
Is labeled P.C.
Not politically,
But “Procrastination Central”, he’d say!
–
So much on it still to do,
Each project is almost half-through…
Keeps changing direction
On theme selection,
Rearranging things as if on cue
–
HE THINKS…he’s nailed it down,
His scrap plastic pile’s quite a mound…
Rough kitbashing
Some parts go missing,
On which he won’t expound!
–
–Jonathan Caswell
(See Matthew 6:30, and surrounding verses)
–
Fine figures and fashions
Ignite our human passions…
Clothes fitting right
A welcome sight,
On any social occasion!
–
Yet the human soul
Doesn’t need clothes to be whole…
If you think “nude”
Understanding is skewed,
Our coverings need not be droll!
–
Whom are you depending on?
On this side or the other of the “pond”…
The Lord Most High
Is “my guy”,
The Christ is the One.
–
Whom do you serve,
Bob Dylan observed…
That all flesh
With the Devil will mesh,
Unless God is served.
–
Focus on God through others,
Unbelievers are sisters and brothers…
All in God’s image made
Their sin price He paid,
Why their chances to know God we smother?
–
All men (humans) are like grass,*
how quickly a life will pass…
See Christ today–
Don’t walk away–
Who knows when one breathes their last?
=
==Jonathan Caswell
–
*Isaiah 40: 5-8
Like kids at a new place lighted,
Employees get all excited…
LOOK AT THAT HAIL
What can it nail,
Are the flowers all blighted?
–
Like kids at the store,
Camera phones score…
White colored lawns
And bushes beat down,
Did you hear that thunder roar?
–
Now patches of blue hue
Tell that this storm is through…
No more crowd
At the door talking loud,
Did our cars make it safely through?
–
–Jonathan Caswell
An ancient postcard emerges,
Prompting history’s dirges…
But look there
At cleaner air,
Except when engine smoke surges!
–
Today it’s an abandoned line,
The neighborhood isn’t so fine…
On a back street
Likely meet,
Some various crime.
–
A group wanted to run
This branch for profit and fun…
The winning project–
Walking trails I suspect–
In fact they may be nearly done.
–
–Jonathan Caswell
As far as a Mogul goes,
It’s more familiar with headlight on the nose…
The firebox door
I tend to adore,
But up near the stack—I suppose!
–
More familiar with the BOSTON AND MAINE,
RAILROAD whose Moguls all the same…
Had headlights centered–
On them I was mentored–
Those cute little buggers so named!
–
Two N scale steamers in stable,
Changing the headlight–not able–
That Bachmann 2-6-0
Doesn’t come so,
But up in front of smokestacks it’s stable!
–
The one problem remains,
It’s letter like the BOSTON AND MAINE’s…
Two steamers are mine
I’d like one another line,
For NEW HAVEN—I can re-decal with that name!
–
GOOD THING I have a book–
NEW HAVEN POWER, by Jack Swanberg, to look…
For steamers that meet
That arrangement complete,
I’d have to butcher the engine’s front for a different look!
–
THANKFULLY New Haven Moguls exist,
Up where the smoke stack is kissed…
Just re-decal
And all will be well,
Or at least I’ll come close to the gist.
–
–Jonathan Caswell
My model layout wanders it seems
Away from cherished themes…
What for you
Says “New England” too,
Beyond operational schemes?
–
Does NISSEN BREAD,
MOXIE, barns red,
SPAGS and stores
With “colonial” decors,
Monuments to Revolutionary dead?
–
Dairies and granite quarries
In earlier days held stories…
Ice cream and views
Along the Turnpike count too,
And whaling ship stories!
–
Broad “a’s” in speech,
A Kennedy’s reach…
Where Plymouth Rock stays
And Sturbridge Village ways
Are preserved to history teach!
–
So for my small train set,
What industries are best…
Beverages and rock salt
Metals, food stuffs sought,
And historic touristy nests?
–
Gravel still travels by train,
Lumber and minerals same…
Environmental ire
Has dampened coal fired
Power plants, but garbage still flames!
–
A water-powered mill
And museum of trains fit the bill…
For small excursions
Of rich incursions into filling the local till!
–
Do you think I’ll have enough room,
I figure some things will die soon…
New England gives
And takes to live,
But survival cannot be assumed!
–
–Jonathan Caswell
When a youngster says, “classic”,
Depends on what they think fantastic…
The more educated
Have anticipated
Styles without plastic!
–
With ruffles and flourishes,
Classical style nourishes…
Feeding other styles
That borrow for smiles,
Which no one discourages.
–
Each blogger has a vision
Of what needs displaying revision…
Each works their goals
Fanning coals,
Affecting blog decisions!
–
–Jonathan Caswell
Modelers of miniature
Things want to ensure…
Things look old
From wind and cold,
One can’t wait for the effects as long as were.
–
Instead of dirt, wind and snow,
We thin down paint and go slow…
Dry brushed details
Make model sales,
Varied powders to bring out its glow!
–
Everything has its place,
In climate, time and space…
Study the real
Then match its appeal,
Don’t forget engine phase.*
–
–Jonathan Caswell
*Engine phase, or phases of an engine or model, refer to the variations within the production life of a particular locomotive. Late or early, First through Third phase, etc. are all referring to these variations which may or may not be noted in the locomotive builder’s catalog.
Amazing what we used to mock,
As youth we consider “off”…
Older now
We realize how,
We, too, have grown soft!
–
In college there was a guy,
From our dorm room we spied…
Wearing shorts
In winter, of course,
Using our dumpster on the sly!
–
This poet is near sixty years,
After all this time it appears,
Wearing shorts
In winter, he sports,
Outside despite his wife’s fears!
–
–Jonathan Caswell
(PROVERBS 27: 17)
–
Washington Mills, North Grafton,
Abrasive mill very active….
Receives railroad cars
Industrial stars,
Economics effective!
–
My N-scale layout could use
Industry like this to choose…
Steady service
Makes no one nervous,
A good supply of brake shoes!
–
Covered hoppers, an occasional box,
Of iron pyrite–using lots–
Some retained
Some to St. Gobain,
And various other spots!
–
–Jonathan Caswell
By the Mighty Mumford 