The eagle soars over the mountain on a gloomy winter day

searching for prey below the cloudy skies

oblivious of the huge scar in the natural landscape 

railroad tracks carved across the mountain

drab industrial buildings huddled near the tracks

the mountain is quiet and peaceful

but in years gone by it was a scene of frantic activity

teams of hard working men cutting down trees

dynamite explosions blasting away rocks

men and mules clearing debris for the future railroad

nature’s beauty now lives in forced harmony with the iron roadway

a monument to the sweat and toil of forgotten men

mother earth has long forgiven the pain of construction

she reluctantly lets mankind pillage her resources to make iron horses

and cringes when her carbon reserves are stolen to fuel the smokey beasts

a whistle breaks the silence of the dark mountain air

distant rumbling draws steadily closer and closer

the magnificent metal monster meanders up the mountainside

hissing steam billowing smoke and grinding wheels

a grease stained engineer is the only sign of human activity

the ground shakes as the train approaches

animals flee its noisy path

the air is filled with smoke, soot and steam

the iron horse roars with abandon

clattering cabooses carrying hobos cling to the monster’s tail

the noise and vibration both seem eternal

but slowly fade as the mountain train pushes on into the distance

silence returns as the eagle soars overhead

the earth breathes a sigh of relief

nature gracefully recaptures the mountain