Speaking In Tongues
      Scribbling In Voices

      JR BLUES

      By Dmitry Kovalenin





      On December 5, 19..., a collision of two trains occurred at Tokyo Japanese Railroad Line. Two people died, over 90 were hospitalized. Very puzzled, the JR officials said the possibility of such a case was practically nil. The work on funding out anyone's guilt turned extremely complicated...






    Tied up in knots
    on the bare strings of the backside-tracks
    we are notes
    our syncopations amputated
    our chilled teeth ticking-n-chatt'ring
    to the rhythm of the 'hi-hi' hieroglyphs marching
    on the digital time-table screen.

    The Switchman,
    clean-shaven for the rest of his life
    all fresh from his shoelaces to his contact lenses
    sets up proper chords on the railroad ties
    calling out the spirit of Semaphore,
    his fingers professionally casual.

    But the speed is increasing
    and, exhausted down to his bones
    he excuses himself, after all,
    for just four-and-a-half seconds
    and when he's taking us out of the vending machine
    just like a peaceful Coca-Cola can
    we are already hissing and foaming
    ready to be consumed for a chance
    to mix that green with the red
    and in one convulsive gasp of the breaks
    to obtain the unknown

    Upbeat.


    Bullet train Tokyo Kanazawa,
    December 19...