Back to the Engine (dedicated to Tony Miller)

Nowadays, when on a train,
I always seem to be
Seated facing backwards,
Quite unwillingly.

Even though I try to book
A forward facing seat
I still end up facing backwards,
Is this malice or defeat?

Maybe, the train people
Think that a my age,
I should sit with my back to the engine,
Because I’m at the ‘past it’ stage.

It may be that their thinking is
Because I’m old I’m weak,
I don’t have the guts to protest,
I’ll be quiet and not speak.

I might well be old and feeble,
But I will never be
Too old to raise a protest.
I don’t do timidity.

Years back, when I was younger,
I was always forward facing
Looking at what was to come,
Seeing life rush past me, racing.

And though I’m over sixty
Looking forward’s what I do,
For what’s gone is gone forever
And I prefer a forward view.

So give me a forward facing seat
And let me view the future,
I will not dwell upon the past,
I’m a forward looking creature.

© Lynne Joyce 16.10.2012