I heard the whistle of the late night train,
still awake when I was a restless child,
It was a lonesome, distant sound,
but it was a constant so I sleepily smiled,
Still it called out to me, heartrending,
of far away places and people to see,
and escape from the empty dark,
yet the tone sounded as lonely as me,
The forsaken landscape of a remote island,
hung on my wall and at night made me cry,
I dreamed that the train ran safely beyond it,
and in my hopelessness I would let out a sigh,
Years rolled passed, as did the engine and cars,
And the whistle beckoned to me every night,
I yearned to find and catch that midnight train,
and pined to escape my own skin if I might,
I dreamed of hopping that freighter,
and I would be off and on my way,
for as my problems grew worse,
I knew that I couldn�t bear to stay,
So the first time I rode on a train,
I was gratefully off to New York City,
and I kept passionately thinking to myself,
�Now I can finally be free.�
I sat by the window as night fell,
and watched the shadows pass by,
It was as despondent as the midnight bus,
and I couldn�t help but silently cry,
All my life I had wandered aimlessly,
by foot, car, bus, and now train,
But I discovered no matter the transport,
none of them could out race my pain,
For regardless of which way I run,
my problems will always follow,
I carry their burden in me like luggage,
For they are as attached as my shadow,
No matter how hard I try to escape,
I can never get away from myself,
I would gladly give up all my memories,
so that I could be somebody else,
As I watched the passengers sleeping,
I realized achingly that I�m still alone,
I wondered what is in a peaceful dream,
as I traveled still farther on my own,
My soul is a prisoner of my body,
and I was trapped in my skin once more,
but people snored in their tranquility,
and the locomotive jolted on as before,
And the train whistle sounds as forlorn,
whether you listen or whether you ride,
My spirit was still ill content and sleepless,
even though I was finally on the inside,
I stared out at the bleak landscape,
and my heart began to widen a tear,
I realized that what I have longed for,
is actually somewhere out there.