The marrow of my bones
Began to vibrate
Before the sun came up
My heartbeat began to
Keep me awake
Thudding in my left ear
As I lay on my pillow
Before the first bird began to sing
Then, awareness of the morning train
Far off low sound with a staccato high-pitched accent
Reverberated through the still air
My heartbeat quickened 
The train announced its presence
From 90 miles away across the rolling hills
Closer each minute with a steady hum
That began to dance with my heartbeat
In and out of step
Until it crossed the nearby street just east of me
I rolled over
Knowing that all my life the sound of a train
Had worked its way into my bones
Like all the ticking clocks
Like the phrase “peace be with you”
Like the phrase “and also with you”
And the low thrum in the pre-dawn 
Was as constant as my breath


By Diane E. Dockum
©April 15, 2026