I remember my fear of train stations when I was younger. The way the heavy wheels of the wagons slowly rolled past. The restrained machinery of the engines, like beasts ready for attack. Still there was a hope and anticipation of the trip, in the dusty seats in brown corduroy, and in those little white headrest that was still replaced for each new passenger. Any longer train trip also means riding your own dreams.
I felt longing in the restrained steel beasts as I took my mother’s hand
From Wikimedia commons
Today we start our long train trip. To me writing haibun fits so well in traveling. I looked back into my own memory.
Somehow I still want to explore the combination of prose and American Sentences, so not strictly haiku I still link this to Carpe Diem
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January 1, 2014
Björn Rudbergs writings 
Seventeen in one. I like that!
DJ
American Sentences are really interesting to write… Personally I think they work great when combined in a haibun…
I like these American Sentences , but … haiku are better. What a wonderful story Björn… thank you for being a participant in Carpe Diem.
To me the american sentences sometimes are better at capturing contrasts in the modern city life. Still they are interpretations of haiku by Ginsburg,
I really like your American sentences theme, especially in haibun style.
Thank you.. I will work this month a lot with haibun…
Oh! I can definitely feel that longing. A beautiful haibun.
The haibun is a great form…enjoy your trip. Trains make me quite nostalgic. Happy New Year, Bjorn.
This is very lovely Bjorn, you have captured the essence of your reactions to the train station and trains. I like what you wrote.
I long to board the steel beast as my engineer son waves with his hand…there’s my american sentence and yes, my oldest “drives” those beasts (freight, not passenger) with pride!
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Train wheels always scared me too–you describe that slow almost monstrous passage so well. k.
This is really wonderful, and thanks for the info on American sentences! I had never heard of that, and it’s intriguing. I had dinner with Ginsberg once my first year of college. He was a friend of my friend’s dad. Sad thing was at that point I hadn’t heard of him–it was only later I realized what an honor that was!
Wow, Cathy. The small talk on this train is sooo interesting! I’m a Ginsberg enthusiast and your encounter with him makes me want to ask more questions…
Amazing… Ginsberg would have been interesting to talk to. I have become really very interested in him after a few sessions in dVerse about beat-poetry. The idea of combining the haibun with american sentences came to me a few weeks ago, and it’s a style I would like to pursue…
It’s an idea for an upcoming book maybe…
you can always ask me anything you want, Angie 😉
The beasts were straining to get you, right?
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What great imagination we have when we were children! Nicely done.
Wonderfully written.
This is unique … loved the imagination 🙂
oh, it’s quite new to me. Plus, the description of what a train station is fits completely with my own feelings 🙂
And writing an American sentence is hard, even harder than writing a poem, as you still need to have a full-blooded sentence, while in poetry you may skip this or that.
Wishing you a happy journey!
I have never been scarred of train stations, I love the romance, but I understand what you have written about.
Ciao
Pea
I’m right there with you. Enjoying your travel log. Smiling at little you, holding your mommy’s hand.
machines great and small – trains and vacuum cleaners – inspiring a child’s fear
the American Sentence seems to work quite well for this.
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