S-Bahn

Friedenau:

Rattle of the doors
the shchunk of closing

"Nachster Bahnhof, Schöneberg
Ubergang S-Bahn Linie vier."

Windows nearly opaque with scratches,
the panes reflect only ghosts of we who ride and stare at backyards
and from every balcony blooms a satellite dish,

"Nachster Bahnhof, Yorckstrasse."

every surface a place to leave a name, a tag on every tressle and against the mute
tan of brick or stone graffiti spreads like chromatic acne, tattoos across the city.

"Nachster Bahnhof, Anhalter Bahnhof
Ubergang S-Bahn Linie zwei."

The vinyl of this seat is cracked,
On another train I wouldn't have to pull the handle open myself, I'd just push.
The variety of trains is nearly why enough to ride at all, to

"Nachster Bahnhof, Potzdamer Platz
Ubergang S-Bahn Linie zwei."

study
the vehicles locked in this constant motion, the giant vacuum tube mail system
delivering packages wrapped in brown, silent, stoic, plain twine woven around necks
in November, sometimes a patch of stickers or bright wrapping, glittered eyes
and brighter paper, but every package solitary, bound up, alone among thousands
just the same, stacked in tubes by the thousands

"Nachster Bahnhof, Friedrichstrasse
Ubergang S-Bahn Linie zwei, drei, fünf, sieben, neun, fünf und siebzig."

Shake of brakes against rails
the doyng of opening

—Berlin

©2002 Matthew Ephraim Duncan

 

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