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Wednesday, August 18, 2010

2-Poem #26 Auckland Revisited xxi&Disappearing Railroad Blues - Michael O'Leary

xxi

Leaving next day by car
Heading down the early night motorway
From Mangere Bridge where
We pick up a disputed art work
south-east of Bombay

We get lost on dark, unknown roads
Trying to find Paddy of Patumahoe
In the back roads near Pukekohe
Criss-crossing the Glenbrook railway line
. . . after we have a moe

We are early morning, southward bound towards Kapiti



Disappearing Railroad Blues Sonnet
(thanks to Arlo and Woody)

We caught the last 'Northerner' overnight train service
between Auckland and Wellington in response to

that particular piece of corporate vandalism. It was
appropriate that me and my friend Paddy, who

worked on the railway with me in Otago, should
take the final ticket to ride (Yes, its true, all those

old Irish songs about Paddy and Mick working on
the railway!!!). During the trip I showed my novel

'Unlevel Crossings' to the train crew, and they really
loved it, as part of it describes the overnight journey

from Auckland to Wellington. All the train crew
including the engine drivers, signed it for me

so I have a lasting memento of the event and another
cross-over between working class and literary realities

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