LARRY HIRSHBERG

 

Big Blue Spark

The man behind the motorman, riding late at night
Half aware of all of us, half a drink too tight
One eye open, one eye closed, fingering his old tweed coat

Big blue spark pops off the wire
Flashes through his reverie
Showing him the tunnel sides
Big blue spark - momentarily

The motorman rides staring hard at what lies ahead
Goes past a train going the other way, vaguely nods his head
Works the throttle, flicks a switch, 600 volts make him rich

Big blue spark sings off the wire
Above his train, flying free
Lights the tunnel for a second
Big blue spark - electricity

The motorman and the guy behind him, they go flashing by
I'm going where they just came from, my train is making time
Switching through the underground, far below the pulsing town

Big blue spark cracks off the wire
Power surging, blinding me
Heading home I close my eyes -
Image of the motorman, the tweed coat guy, the big blue spark
And subway symmetry