Oh, for the return of those days
So long flown
When travel by train was
A world of its own.
You made your appointments
As and when you were able
After due consultation
With the railway timetable.
Travel was slower in
Those days it seems
Before diesel electric
Replaced snorting steam.
No mobile phone users
Telling the world and their mates
About their sex lives
Their loves and their hates.
They make us listen,
We have no choice
As they always blether
With an overloud voice.
No scowling people
Huddled over their laptop
Tippety type typing
Seemingly non stop.
In normal office hours
Do they just shirk
Then abuse the train
To catch up on their work.
Don't they understand
A train is such a perfect way
To slowly unwind at the end
Of a long working day.
They ll never experience
The sheer joys of isolation
Once the train was boarded
Until arrival at the destination
The world held at bay from
Your warm seating place
Almost as effectively as
The dark depths of outer space.
Nowadays folk can't seem to bear
Being out of touch and on their own
Now that life is dictated by
Their laptop and mobile phone.
Those days you could relax,
Just switch off your brain
In the little world confined to
The carriage of an en route train.
