Today features a collaboration between poet, Thomas Jones, and his brother, photographer, Fred Jones. Tom has his own substack showcasing his work here, and at his website here. And Fred is a 'railfan', that is, one who loves taking photos of trains like the one above, an impressive specimen. Freight Train in Montana The great mechanical beast sits at rest, its face-plate with eyes and a nose, boxcars trailing behind it. Perhaps it stopped to load the boxcars with sand from the silos, the same sand that fills the sandbox in playgrounds, mixes with cement for buildings, or sprinkles on sidewalks in snowstorms. In its journey through towns large and small the kids come out to greet it as it churns its way on the tracks, photographers clamor to take pictures before it fades on the horizon. The cerulean sky with halo of wrinkled clouds and landscape of gravel, sand, and brush embrace this paragon of power where all come together to kneel before its imposing facade.
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Nice collaboration.
@poetdude One of my brother's best friends clear back from childhood is in love with freight trains as your brother, Fred, clearly is. Our friend's name is Stewart, though we call him Stew, and he's from Pittsburgh, PA., our hometown. I look forward to getting this poem to him. He'll be delighted to be reminded that there are kindred railfans out there in the world.