Today is any day, in any month, in any year.
It is any time and many men get on many trains.
Many men with many titles, many suits, who’ve made many gains.
They enter many doors, see many seats, and sit many ways.
The trains depart at many stations,
All sharing, a common destination.
A place where happiness is stored in a wall,
in a vault with guards, cameras, and all.
Train one is about to leave station A.
The seats are filled and space is packed.
A doctor steps in filling the last possible space,
leaving a girl on the platform separated from her mother.
He feels terrible at first but comforts himself,
“There is nothing more I can do to help.”
Train two is about to leave station B.
The station is crowded and the doors haven’t opened.
A Entrepreneur and owner of this train,
Stands up to shout in a tone so vain.
“There’s too little room for all to get on,
highest bidders first till all space is gone!”
Train three is five minutes from departing station C.
The station has none inside but three.
Politicians in a hurry, ready to leave.
To the driver they go and offer a bribe,
“Leave now good sir, and a bonus your union shall receive!”
Train four is about to leave station D.
The doors are open but the train is full.
An economist arrives at the station,
Pushing through crowds like a bull.
An accomplice exits the train to let him on.
“Time is money,” he goes on,
“So I paid this man to reserve my seat,
in order to have time to relax and eat!”
They all depart within minutes of each other.
Heading to the station at the end of the line.
The passengers urge the drivers to speed,
“Ignore the red lights, no warnings we need!
A crash and a boom, all trains have collided,
Metal and bones severely divided.
Today is any day, in any month, in any year.
It is any time and any man has heard all the commotion.
He is at the destination, fear restricting any motion.
Every couple seconds or so he hears a soft rumble
Only time can tell when the tunnel will crumble.
He enters train A, only the doctor is conscience.
“We have to remove these people,” he says.
“Only those we can save,” says the doc,
“everyone else stays!”
The doctor helps him remove the select few,
Then leaves in a hurry and bids him adue.
He saves the rest, while on his own.
Then moves to Train B, his worry has grown.
To his surprise when he enters the door.
There is one man conscious, the Entrepreneur.
“We have to remove these people,” any man says.
“The ones with full wallets I will save,
any with less to reward me stays!”
The Entrepreneur saves the rich, leaves the poor.
Quickly he does this, then exits the door.
Any man bewildered, continues to work.
All the while thinking, that man was a jerk.
When finished he exits and finds train C.
He is surprised to find only three.
All three politicians were pointing a finger,
Not realizing, what a danger it was to linger.
Any man yelled for them to leave,
Unwilling to listen,
The argument continued, without reprieve.
Only when all were safe, he would be relieved.
Pain in his ankles and pain in his wrist,
He arrives at train four to find the economist.
“We have to remove these people” any man says.
“Those strong enough to get out survive.
and the weak stays!”
The economist walked out without regard,
Here is where Atlas shrugged and boy he shrugged hard.
Any man worked with no time to dwell,
As he left with the last, the tunnel fell.
Nobody saw him as he left the scene,
to go home to his family and his dreams.
A title was given, with no degree.
A hero he was called, so a hero he must be.
Any man thought to himself, if they only understood.
A hero is in the human heart, where titles do no good.
A standard now set for all those entitled,
To act as a hero no matter your title.
—
By: Alexander Kalish
October 05, 2009, 1:47pm