Early Morning Surprise

(Rattle ekphrastic challenge--writing a poem in response to an image)

Early Morning Surprise

We’re flying too fast
Screeches and squeals
over-strained steel
scraping the tracks
the brakes are shot
After this curve, steep
decline and abyss
Our train won’t survive 
the turn

Suppressing a scream
fist pressed to my chest
I think of my spouse 
gulping a shot
to steady his hands
before stashing the kids
at the shelter and school
Six children under seven,
they will not thrive
motherless