My family’s aluminum canoe,
Was something I wanted to do…
But a girl said “no”
She would not go,
Even one wet shirt wouldn’t do!
–
By myself I couldn’t lift
And maneuver the family gift…
E’en though we’d marry
She refused to carry,
Our canoe o’er a single portage lift!
–
So, I had to leave it there,
Less chances of mountain lake air…
I’m up a creek
With no canoe of which to speak,
With my cane, forest walking takes care!
–
–J. Caswell
IMAGE: a Grumman aluminum canoe similar to our family’s.
HEALTHY OBSESSION
–
Gentle Reader, look this way,
Check out our Header display!
The “RS-1” clan
Slightly overran,
My thinking a lot–you’d say!
–
These ALCO locomotives
I like–so, what gives?
I was bitten
By at least one I’ve ridden,
An excellent way for a railroad fan to live!
–
I have N scale models
For some of these I can “throttle”…
Too many “choo-choos”
For one guy to use,
The layout is plugged like a bottle!
–
–Jonathan Caswell
ALCO RS-1’s “R” US
–
Looking at my N scale roster,
One model I particularly foster…
ALCO “RS-1”
Good memories flung,
From Flemingville station , but costlier!
–Jonathan Caswell
FIXATED
How many of us go “ape”
Over a particular shape…
The senses beaming
Because of meaning
That object facilitates?
–
When I say “ALCO RS-1”,
A lot of raised eyebrows begun…
What is emotive
‘Bout a train locomotive,
A specialist has to run?
–
For me, it evokes a time,
Volunteering on a railway line…
And a museum
With a group of per diem
Men who got along fine.
–
Like memories of Elton John*
That group was where I belonged…
Common goals, yes,
And funny train dress,
Reality made for a song.
–
So I see an RS-1,
And memories of good things run….
All over my plate
In mental state,
It’s with them that I had more fun!
–Jonathan Caswell
* As in Elton John’s “CROCODILE ROCK”….”I never knew me a better time and I guess I never will…”
Image from northeast.railfan.net
OLD POWER PLANTS AND MY PAST
Did you know Internet libraries
Of images are extraordinary….
Finding key words
Open up worlds
Beyond what most records carry.
–
A State Hospital is where my Dad
Worked, and it had…
A coal-fired plant
The steam of which went,
Wherever heat was had.
–
I never got inside,
Was too young and too scared to hide…
It fascinated
The trestle grated,
From train cars the coal would slide!
–
Then within the last twenty years,
The plant shut down (no tears)…
With less occupied
Smaller plants were applied,
Most buildings were left empty for years.
–
Of the two small steam plants used,
One had woodchips to choose….
As an alternate source
And isn’t needed, of course,
Only one plant still warms its flues.
–
So I chosen to model
My past (though not in a bottle)….
Woodchips and coal
Fired plants are my goal,
Which my model trains will serve, full-throttle!
–Jonathan Caswell
(image on Bing)
WAITING FOR THE WAGON
The Wells Fargo wagon
In the musical, MUSIC MAN…
Brought anticipation
For every boy and man.
–
Raisins from Fresno
Or maybe cross-cut saw…
Instruments for the Professor,
Deliveries met with awe.
–
I’m awaiting delivery
Of a very special gift…
For myself (the wife okayed)
To my attitude lift.
–
Other things have come
From other companies…
But it hasn’t yet arrived
And I am in the lees.
–
An ALCO S-2, in N scale,
From a good company…
It hasn’t come while other things
Have come already!
–
I wanted one with zebra stripes
Looking close to the one we had…
At our railroad museum
‘Though the colors are off a tad.
–
My model passenger station
Is painted like that one then…
I’d love to run a tourist train,
Even if it is scaled “N”.
–
So I’m waiting for my package,
I’ll check if the bill’s been paid…
It sure would be disappointing
Given all the dreams I’ve laid!
–Jonathan Caswell
By the Mighty Mumford 