Houses of the Poor

Christiansen 21 Kevin Christianson Houses of the Poor Side by side they crowd together in rows, Their backs to the railroad tracks. There, day and night, long and slow Freight trains lumber past. Sometimes, late at night, while everyone's asleep, The whole house will start to tremble and shake. Awake, a child lies there in the dark Listening to the sound the boxcars make. Then soon his wish comes true: The house grows its own set of iron wheels And, moving slowly at first—then picking up speedIt rolls along the tracks, leaving town too. ...