'Twas a dark, quiet night at Silver Spring, Maryland;
I'm sorry, but this story is true.
Just outside Silver Spring, the train's engineer
passed a yellow block, then rolled into view.
There were passengers and mail awaiting his arrival,
but little time was taken at the stop.
Their run had been easy in spite of delays,
and they welcomed a humidity drop.
The engineer recalled the last block signal,
but it gleamed a cool green in his head.
With their normal, throaty roar, two diesels sped away
toward the train that was stopped a mile ahead.
The junction switch was set for the main line, of course;
a red block signal glowed its defiance.
Our friends hit the switch at fifty mph;
jackknifed coaches and sleepers had no chance.
When the count of dead and injured was made,
the engineer's peace of mind became a victim.
I wouldn't say that what we see is only Murphy's Law,
but human nature seems to have tricked him.
We shouldn't cling to the past; today's mistakes won't be
your last,
but avoid any self-recrimination.
We must wrap ourselves in love, pray for guidance from above,
and greet each day with mild anticipation.
by D. Edgar Murray 04/07/2005.
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