Metro North
Carol Mangis

To see my father, I travel this way
North, away from my heart
To the one he’s building in a new place
Out of nothing much.

Across the blue bridge
Elevated roads lift cars above weeds
Unexpected trees and
Ancient brick shores the island
A gull slides out of the sky.

Harlem streets tick by
Rain sweeps the train windows, slick streets, slicker river
The one that can flow both ways.

I can never lean again
Without fear, I doubt the solidity
Of everything; I wait
For what’s next, thinking I must
Remembering where love comes in.

Here the river fights itself
Wave slaps wave, a battle
Pulse of ocean versus
Flood of river
Suddenly then, smooth
Orderly waves proceed, trained like soldiers.

Past concrete benches not made for human flesh
Open gray sky soothes aching eyes
Past 100 kidnapped cars
Huddling, shivering--we stop
The doors won’t close, then they do
We curve around to face west.

Next poem