#Fowc #Gap
The warning signs tell you
Mind the gap
but to some
it seems an elaborate trap
for all those important
seem to step over line
the message isn’t for them
to them – all is fine
but you find yourself making
an emergency call
as one ignores the gap
and one of them falls
inside the toy store
the five fifteen from coniston
is about to arrive
sailing through tunnels in mountains
expertly created
by the big jobs
as the townsfolk stand frozen in time
anchored into a scene that will stay forever
(or until the model-maker returns)
In response to Numbers
Numbers are everywhere, but as the arbiter of time they’re most important
The Day ends and begins at Midnight – with one day putting its coat on and heading for the line of time in history whilst another gets ready to turn the sun in four or five hours time.
And all the time the Moon looks on.
The Second hand moves 60 times to make the minute hand move once, the Minute hand moves 60 times to move the hour hand once and the hour hand has to go round 24 points of the clock to make it through a day.
7 of those to go through for a week
4 Weeks make a month and 52 weeks make a year
So much to do, so much to hear, so much to see – plenty to get through
The Numbers are used to plan the day. The clock goes round from 12 midnight to 12 noon and 12 mid after all if you sent all the trains to be in the city centre at one time in the day – you would never get moving – that’s why the planners in the offices use the numbers
Measuring out the day so each train gets to the station at one particular time
So each train reaches its stop at 8 seconds, 15 seconds or 22 seconds past the hour.
And we can’t have Sally missing her Half past eight bus now – she’s got to be in school by nine…
The train was never late,
not in our town.
Track fixed on a surface, brown.
Two lines with sidings
and stations along the way
Three clockwork engines
with wagons to play
Going down two tracks
from east to the west
passing through bridges
built by the best
And Engine made sound,
like the locos of the past
built by a craftsman,
you knew it would last
As you pulled all your cargo,
from city to th’sea
till mum or dad called up
it’s time for your tea!
