Old Woman

Old Woman

Tottering footsteps echo down the platform,
as she hastens towards the waiting train.
She hauls herself into the carriage,
and sinks, with a sigh, on to a vacant seat.

Heart pounding, the effort was too much,
as she buries her head into gnarled hands.
She takes frequent rasping breaths,
and relaxes to the steady rhythm of the train.

Raising her head she reveals pale eyes,
robbed of their lustre by many decades.
Snow-white hair frames her oval face,
etched with lines and furrows,
telling the story of her life.

The train slows down and suddenly,
she calls out in a clear voice
to no-one in particular:
'will someone please help me off the train?'

Assisted by a young man, she alights
and the train moves on.
She staggers to a nearby post, reaching out, clutching it for support.

The train disappears into the distance,
as a shudder runs through her body
and she prepares,
for the last leg of her journey.