Bliss Carman, et al., eds. The World’s Best Poetry. 1904.
Humorous Poems: IV. Ingenuities: OdditiesRailroad Rhyme
John Godfrey Saxe (1816–1887)S
Rattling over ridges;
Shooting under arches,
Rumbling over bridges;
Whizzing through the mountains,
Buzzing o’er the vale,—
Bless me! this is pleasant,
Riding on the rail!
In the eye of fame,
Here are very quickly
Coming to the same;
High and lowly people,
Birds of every feather,
On a common level,
Travelling together.
Looming very tall;
Gentleman at large
Talking very small;
Gentleman in tights,
With a loose-ish mien;
Gentleman in gray,
Looking rather green;
Asking for the news,
Gentleman in black,
In a fit of blues;
Gentleman in claret,
Sober as a vicar;
Gentleman in tweed,
Dreadfully in liquor!
Looking very sunny,
Obviously reading
Something rather funny.
Now the smiles are thicker,—
Wonder what they mean!
Faith, he ’s got the Knicker-
Bocker Magazine!
Closing up his peepers;
Now he snores amain,
Like the Seven Sleepers;
At his feet a volume
Gives the explanation,
How the man grew stupid
From “Association”!
Anxiously remarks,
That there must be peril
’Mong so many sparks;
Roguish-looking fellow,
Turning to the stranger,
Says it ’s his opinion
She is out of danger!
Sitting vis-à-vis;
Baby keeps a-squalling,
Woman looks at me;
Asks about the distance,
Says it ’s tiresome talking,
Noises of the cars
Are so very shocking!
Of the precious casket,
Knowing eggs are eggs,
Tightly holds her basket;
Feeling that a smash,
If it came, would surely
Send her eggs to pot,
Rather prematurely.
Rattling over ridges;
Shooting under arches,
Rumbling over bridges;
Whizzing through the mountains,
Buzzing o’er the vale,—
Bless me! this is pleasant,
Riding on the rail!