How the Erie left Middletown, New York

The crossing-gates

went first,

and with them

the flashing red signal lights.

 

Then the tracks,

after a century

bolted to the earth,

were gone.

 

And the oak ties,

black as soot,

were taken,

and the spikes

 

like rusted carrots

were gone,

pulled up,

harvested for scrap.

 

Finally, the air

left town,

heavy with a

hundred years of bells.