Emperor of the North

[68degrees]

Little Charlie & Lee Marvin,
the emperor of the north pole,
wait at rail marker #54
orange & yellow leaves
blowing behind them
like clapping hands,
an approaching freight train
with its iron gray leader,
lights flashing a distant life

Mad Dog 20/20 hissing
on Lee Marvin’s breath
like spit on a desert rock

“...got a chance
to be good bum,
kid. But can you be
a meat eater?”

Charlie’s game & he’s up
and for one brief moment
he is a movie star, a tinsel
vagabond, carrying 14 years
in a knapsack, waiting to feel
all four seasons in a single wind

“...when you get back,
tell everyone your story,
kid. Make ‘em weep”

A fistful of thunder,
a cloud of sparrows,
a thousand black wings
and Lee Marvin’s distancing voice
stinging in young Charlie’s
rail & burning red cinder ears

“...you had the juice, kid,
but not the heart. Stay off
the rails or next time she’ll
throw you under her
steel wheels, for sure”

[saw]

love that movie...Ernest Borgnine was one mean son of a bitch....Keith Carradine was a little punk.....I remember Lee Marvin's character was A #1....and he would paint that on the water towers to let Borgnine know, he planned to ride his train....for free of course

good poem...brought back some memories....makes me want to revisit that flick

[the mingo]

A#1's zen was seamless

[WIREMAN]

great movie...i believe its on youtube free....nice write