Poorva Express

Slide away from Kolkata
         iron hum
         green blur
         bicycle rickshaw parked on rubbish heap.

Blue shirt man comes to spray
         each bench post corner
         with something freshener
         benches upholstered in blue leather
         blue lino floor with navy, white & gold
                                                                        flecks.

Slide among lands of food:
         bananas, rice,
         mustard, goats,
         taro, bamboo,
         cow swish tail follow sari woman.

Crew of head wrapt men
         pick axe and sledge
         down yellow brick rail house.

Flat land stretches verdant
below flat sky.


Roll past coal plant mile
orange dust pouring into air.

At Durgapur,
          corrugated steel siding is
          painted grey, white and blue.
          Twin smoke stacks
          are red stripe white stripe
              grey stripe white stripe.

Hump Cabin. Gang Hut. Relay Room.
Train Lighting Office. Officer Rest House.
Train Wagon Shed. Caution: Unwired Turnouts.

Water buffalo flaps ears.

Now, a sparse forest of yellowgreen trees.
Earth baked yellow, tinderized,
Land desiccated.

Then a patch of scruffy palms,
Stand of spindly eucalypts.

Bony white cow nibbles.

Paddy upon paddy lie fallow in the sun.

Stick no bills at Koderma Station.
"Our endeavour is service with dedication
                                         and courtesy."