Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, THE TEMPTER, by DOUGLAS MALLOCH


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THE TEMPTER, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: When I'm a hundred miles from home
Last Line: And who's to blame? That depot man.
Subject(s): Railroads; Railways; Trains


When I'm a hundred miles from home,
Another hundred have to roam,
When many a night and many a day
I know I'll have to be away,
I wish the man whose job it is
To call the trains one call of his
Would please omit: Oh, yell and shout
But, Mister, leave my home town out.

For here I am, all set to go
Where duty calls, but longing so
For wife and children left behind.
And then some caller most unkind
A train announces, and the track,
The very train to take me back!
O Mister Caller, on my knees
I ask you, skip my home town, please!

Some night I know I'll fall from grace:
All started for some other place,
Some place a fellow has to roam,
I'll turn around and hurry home.
Some day that man that train will call
And I will drop my grips and all
And run and catch it if I can --
And who's to blame? That depot man.





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