Now a sad farewell to the cable-tram,
Staunch friend of the quieter days,
That glided down thro’ a leisured town
Ere the urge for speed was a craze.
We’d time to spare and we took the air
On a sociable seat outside —
Calm charioteers of those peaceful years
When “the trams” were a city’s pride.
Clash! Clang! The twin bells rang,
And the grip went smoothly in.
Then we floated along to a muted song
And a dearth of hustle and din.
Untouched by the need for racketting speed
That frazzles the moderns’ nerves,
Scarce heeding at all the warning call:
“Sit tight! Hold on at the curve!”
Unhurried, serene, we viewed the scene,
Or chatted with Charlie or Sam.
Oh, in spite of the rage of a jazz-mad age,
I’m still for the cable-tram, I am,
The jolly old cable-tram.
But they’re rooting them out, the cable-trams,
Like all earth’s pleasanter things;
To oblivion brought by a Juggernaut
That needs no leading strings
And they’ll serve when dead, for a shelter shed
By some shrill suburban road.
Or a garden “nook,” unbelievably crook,
At a philistine’s abode.
Clash! Clang! . . . How the breezes sang
On a sunny Sabbath Day.
And away we go with Fanny or Flo
For a tram trip down the Bay.
“What O! There’s class!” Proud ponies pass
With their shining jinkers there,
And joy’s complete, we’ve a front-row seat,
And the sea-wind’s in our hair.
And never a car snorts by to mar
That peace with its swank and sham.
You may keep your noise and your clattering toys!
I’m for the cable-tram, I am!
Idyllic old cable-tram.
(C J Dennis)
More Poetry from C J Dennis:
C J Dennis Poems based on Topics: Sadness, Anger, Pride, Cities, Hair, Age, Cars, Garden, Twins- Book Contents: Moods Of Ginger Mick (C J Dennis Poems)
- The Rhymes of Sym (C J Dennis Poems)
- The Stones of Gosh (C J Dennis Poems)
- The Debate (C J Dennis Poems)
- 'Ave a 'eart! (C J Dennis Poems)
- Nocturne (C J Dennis Poems)
Readers Who Like This Poem Also Like:
Based on Topics: Sadness Poems, Hair Poems, Anger Poems, Pride Poems, Age Poems, Cities Poems, Garden Poems, Cars Poems, Twins PoemsBased on Keywords: snorts, fanny, philistine, pleasanter, moderns, craze, rooting, trams, tram, chatted, flo