Passenger/The Step

Passenger

The train shudders as it streams along

A woman crying, a man asleep

The announcement “Next station – Fleet”

The smell of sweat, a window crack

This young boy, thirteen or so

Is on his phone, swearing – loud

The woman stopped crying a minute ago

The ticket officer appears, his face aglow

Sweat on his brow, in a musky cloud

A scent of unwashed body, dirty clothes

The pungent aroma of stale piss

The sound of laughter, a couple kiss

I hide my nerves, all the way to Hove

But when the train screeches to a halt

My inevitable fear takes hold.

The Step

The weather today is good

The clouds are light and white

The rain won’t come today

There’s no need for my hood

The autumn leaves are pretty

But not as pretty as my plan

I walk slowly – pausing for breath

Taking all the time I can

When I get to the station

I purchase a ticket for Fleet

Knowing full well it won’t be used

But I’ve got to be discreet

The sign above reads ‘Hove’

And my heart thumps with fear

Then I step out onto the tracks

And all the sadness and pain disappears.