there is
(high voltage at track level) so
Listen
(for instructions)
from above
for steel on steel
for a song, a screech
of faith, a show of trust
or sparks hissing at track level
Remain on Train
(do not open side doors) do not strain
to see beyond or back, only
sidelong like a crab walking
Move to another car
(if your immediate safety is threatened)
a wheezing, midnight Taurus
an emerald Beetle
any other glistening city escape
move away
move to some other wheeled wagon
for transporting people, burdens
Exit
(as instructed)
wary of the sparks, the
Danger
(high voltage at track level) so
Listen
(for instructions)
from above
for steel on steel
for a song, a screech
of faith, a show of trust
or sparks hissing at track level
Remain on Train
(do not open side doors) do not strain
to see beyond or back, only
sidelong like a crab walking
Move to another car
(if your immediate safety is threatened)
a wheezing, midnight Taurus
an emerald Beetle
any other glistening city escape
move away
move to some other wheeled wagon
for transporting people, burdens
Exit
(as instructed)
wary of the sparks, the
Danger
[courtesy of the CTA]
Not entirely sure the difference between parentheses and ital lines... the beginning especially has me a bit confused. i enjoyed some of the disparity of the lines mixed with lines that flow seamlessly into each other, but i wasn't entirely sure what the mixture was leading me towards.
ReplyDeleteinteresting experiment, which i'm all for.
I read them as two different sources--I guessed one of those rinky-dinky signs that is on the wall (which, I just saw one the other day that said PLEASE [a circle with a line through a boombox & food]. And someone had covered up the circle/line and in the same font wrote PRAY. thought it was pretty cool.
ReplyDeleteand the other source I guessed was the overhead speaker.
but i do like how it mimics the kind of sensory overload of a CTA ride. sheesh.
really cool, ian.
there's an extremely dark undertone to this and I have no idea what it is. Right now it seems like the speaker is super paranoid that the train is gonna crash, but I think there's more to it...illuminate.
great.