Modern Steampunk
You rivet and clunk—
Cogwheel
Defective and dangerous—
Like HAL
Runs the erratic rhythm of
Time and space
We can only marvel—
Cower
At the jolts of power—
Sparking
Even when muffled
Not exhausted
Wicked Witch of the West—
Withered
Extinguished by water—
Your coals
Roar unrestrained
Scorching scars
As you barrel out of control—
Careen
I fumble for the emergency brake—
Will YOU
Ever
Run
out
of
S
T
E
A
M
?
?
- Theresa Milstein
Dramatic and cutting.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Hamish!
DeleteIf it never runs out of steam, hope it doesn't run out of track!
ReplyDeleteHa, Alex, I wonder!
DeleteModern Steampunk - great title and very powerful verse. Well done.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Mary!
Deleteha. maybe he will or wont...and maybe that will keep him alive for years to come if he can handle the turns at that speed....smiles.
ReplyDeleteBrian, something tells me that he's going to keep speeding along.
DeleteYes, "Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead!" And then youth gradually transforms into maturity.
ReplyDeleteSlamdunk, I like your perspective on the poem.
DeleteCool verse, Theresa!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Kelly!
DeleteYou're very talented Theresa! Love it.
ReplyDeleteDenise, how nice of you to say. Thank you.
DeleteWOw!! Theresa!! this is so nicely versed!! the way the words drop down n stanzas and are yet emphasised !! amazing!!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much. I tried to give it a train rhythm in the right places.
DeleteUm ... WOW. So good!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Jessica! That means a lot coming from you.
DeleteGreat tribute to good old Steampunk.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Cleemckenzie. This is the closest I've come to writing steampunk.
DeleteEnjoyed this wild ride!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Tess.
DeleteI like it, especially the part about the emergency brake. If only there was an emergency brake in real life!
ReplyDeleteNeurotic Workaholic, I'd also like an emergency brake in real life sometimes.
DeleteHope you never run out of steam, Theresa...
ReplyDeleteThanks, Berowne!
DeleteThose verses were so hot they took a lot of slowing down before you forced them to run out of steam. Loved it ~ Eddie
ReplyDeleteEddie, thank you very much!
Deleteriveting ..barreling out of control can be dangerous..running out of steam who knows???
ReplyDeleteTruedessa, thanks. I appreciate it!
DeleteAhh , the poor time travellers wife " , have you seen the steampunk tarot deck ? Very cool
ReplyDeleteKutamun, I haven't seen the steampunk tarot deck. I'll have to look for it.
DeleteLove the poem. :) I wish I knew more about steampunk. I've read Jules Verne, and that's about it.
ReplyDeleteMedeia, I don't know much either. Hopefully, I faked it well enough!
DeleteBeautiful! I'm still not sure what steampunk is, even though it's been explained to me numerous times.
ReplyDeleteStephanie, neither do I. I read one middle grade steampunk. I used that and what I've heard in popular culture to tackle this one.
DeleteEnjoyed this.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Helena!
DeletePowerful and such fun to read. Love the train rhythm. Wow, steampunk. I didn't know that about you, my friend.
ReplyDeleteRobyn, I am very mysterious.... ;)
Deleteradical piece of poetry, girl! enamored of it!
ReplyDeleteand thanks for supporting my BBF blog tour!
Thank you very much, Tara! Good luck with your book.
ReplyDeleteVery clever Theresa .. that's a brilliant expose of SteamPunk ... and I enjoyed your Solitaire one too ...
ReplyDeleteClever - cheers Hilary
Hilary, thank you. This was a fun one to write.
Delete