The Railway JunctionEnglish Poems Index
The Railway Junction :
From here through tunnelled gloom the track
Forks into two; and one of these
Wheels onward into darkening hills,
And one toward distant seas.
How still it is; the signal light
At set of sun shines palely green;
A thrush sings; other sound there's none,
Nor traveller to be seen-
Where late there was a throng. And now,
In peace awhile, I sit alone;
Though soon, at the appointed hour,
I shall myself be gone.
But not their way (the bow-legged groom,
The parson in black, the widow and son,
The sailor with his cage, the gaunt
Gamekeeper with his gun.
That fair one too, discreetly veiled
All, who so mutely came, and went,
Will reach those far nocturnal hills
Or shores, ere night is spent.
I nothing know why thus we met-
Their thoughts, their longings, hopes, their fate:
And what shall I remember, except-
The evening growing late-
That here through tunnelled gloom the track
Forks into two; of these
One into darkening hills leads on,
And one toward distant seas?
About The Poet :
Walter de la Mare (1873-1956) spent most of his life writing poems and stories, mostly for children. His first book of poems was called Songs of Childhood (1902). The main themes he wrote about were romance and nature. His style was simple and the mysteries of magic, the moonlight and quietness fascinated him greatly. These subjects are introduced in most of his poems.
In many of his poems there is a mystery which readers must solve as best they can. In one of his best-known poems called The Listeners the reader is left with many questions.
In The Railway Junction, we are also left asking many questions. What is the appointed hour? Who is the bow-legged groom? Why is the fair one discreetly veiled? You will have your own ideas when you have read the poem through a number of times.
Words to know :
Bow-legged : shaped like a bow : bent
Discreetly : carefully, tactfully (in what one says or does)
Ere : before
Is spent : is used : is over
Mutely : silently
Nocturnal : of the night
Parson : a vicar or clergyman
Thrush : a kind of bird
Where late : where until a little while ago
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