I wrote this poem about the journey through school from the first day of kindergarten to high school graduation day. The steam train will take you along this one-way 13- stop ride. It will be one that will bring pride, joy, memories, and maybe some nostalgia. Whether you are reading this poem as a high school senior, junior or graduate, whether you cherish or detest your past experiences, let the train take your thoughts back through the moments and the years. All aboard!
Take a ride to the station in the morning.
Wait at the bus stop at eight o'clock.
Move the wheels, find the class, start the day with a polished look.
Whooo, whoo, hush
It's like a runway, freeway, rumbling by
Like a night train on a moonlit ride
Heading down a one-way route
Get off at the first stop
It's an autumn morning
From kindergarten through sixth
As a fledgling learns to fly
Hear laughter and screams in the school-yard
Days feel slow, but they're always filled with capacity
The whistle blows again; climb back on the ride
Pass hills, pass valleys,
Pull in, huffing by, gaining knowledge
Through 7th, 8th, 9th
The rails feel rougher
Take a stare, take a step, take a stride, take a date to the dance at 15
The steam trails behind
Like a runway, freeway, rumbling by
Like a night train on a moonlit ride
The whistle blares, as the engine groans, as tracks lead the way.
The final stops approach
Through 10th, 11th, 12th
It's the school plays, the big games, the prom nights
It's the pressures, the failures, the victories, the fun times, the last times
Bumpy rides, just gaze out the window
The tracks all lie ahead, just keep on rolling on
Wait for that those final hours
Walking to the stadium in caps and gowns
The tassels turn, the caps fly up
The whistle toots for the final time, as the train leaves the last station
Branching out to different ends
With no right track and no two destinations that will be the same
New beginnings soon arise with each new step and each new stride
