His N scale model railway,
Unfinished to this day…
Is labeled P.C.
Not politically,
But “Procrastination Central”, he’d say!
–
So much on it still to do,
Each project is almost half-through…
Keeps changing direction
On theme selection,
Rearranging things as if on cue
–
HE THINKS…he’s nailed it down,
His scrap plastic pile’s quite a mound…
Rough kitbashing
Some parts go missing,
On which he won’t expound!
–
–Jonathan Caswell
On the Railway named “PAN-AM”,
They conjured a curious plan…
An old loco
With it’s first logo,
Put it back in service and it RAN!
–
Mostly for local yard work,
Natives thimk it a perk…
Local history
Working patiently,
With the expected GP-7 or 9 quirks!
–
Spends time in between rail yards–
East Deerfield, Portland, onwards…
Railroader memories
Don’t grow up on trees,
And for a while they won’t break down from rust!
–
–Jonathan Caswell
Image from the NERAIL NEW ENGLAND PHOTO website of a currently-working heritage locomotive
After the Child was born,
Joseph was duly warned….
Warned in a dream
Of Herod’s blood scheme,
Traveling far from harm!
–
Believers today face the same,
Sudden deliverance named…
Listen each day
Finding the way,
Keeping their new faith from harm!
–
As Joseph, so should we,
Do what’s necessary…
Shielding one’s faith
Moving where it’s safe
Escaping Herod’s fury.
–
Then when The time is right,
Let Christ within you shine bright…
Obedience true
Is up to you,
If Christ would be your light!
–
–Jonathan Caswell
Roads are skating rinks,
The wife of safety thinks…
Stay home from church
And encourage,
Me in similar stakes!
–
So staying up to write,
At least part of this night…
Exhaustion
Will soon have won,
I’ll give up and turn out my light!
(By the number of TYPOS, that may be soon!!!)
–
–Jonathan Caswell
–
Familiar with these railroad lines,
Central New York State on time…
Delivery pursuit
Of harvested fruit,
Just up my interest line!
–
One brand using rail there is MOTT’S,
Applesauce, canned fruit, lots…
Activity
The railroad’s busy,
Pulling loads from loading spots.
–
My friends, Jim and Cornelia Mead,
Who on our Honeymoon guaranteed…
A ride on their train
A kind gesture of them,
I helped Tioga Central* succeed!
–
Jim Mead and Ontario Lines,
There railroad experience finds…
And Number Fourteen
Was obtained through them,
For “our” Museum on the main line!
–
–Jonathan Caswell
*See “NUMBER FOURTEEN’S FANCY DRES”, posted July 3rd.
The Tioga Central Railroad ran excursion trains and later freight trains out of Owego, New York, in conjunction with the nearby Tioga Transportation Museum.
Twenty-eight years in a row,
Rarely (but sometimes) said “no”…
Learning lessons
By Spirit suggestions,
Bringing comfort when we were laid low.
–
Never easy to live
And share when we’re told to give…
It up for the other–
Why bother,
When together we face so much grief?
–
Bound by love we are,
Dealing with “crankies” just part…
Of total realm–
God at the helm—
When we trust Him that far.
–
Not instantly this “one flesh”,
Taking years learning to mesh…
If in the end
We are friends,
We praise God for His wisdom cached.
–
HAPPY 28TH ANNIVERSARY, HONEY–MY DIANA!
–
–Jonathan Caswell
This poem is based in part on a late night radio discussion related to the SOKAL AFFAIR…a literary hoax perpetrated in 1996, by Alan Sokal, a physics professor at New York University and University College London. He essentially produced a “scholarly” paper, submitted and accepted by a peer review professional journal…that was essentially a total farce, with big words and phrases meaning nothing and saying nothing—and nobody caught it or the joke!—Information via WIKIPEDIA.
–
The program on late night radio was on the Buck Sexton Radio program, heard on WTAG, 580 AM AND 94.9 FM..(I-HEART Radio). or at http://bucksexton.com/ Two other men tried a similar stunt…which was similarly unquestioningly received…even by a certain very recent former President.
–
Anyway…my opinion of these scholarly attempts to wake people up:
–
THE SOKAL EFFECT–WHO WAS FOOLISH?
–
Two academics decided,
The SOKAL AFFAIR, to retry it…
They thought the echelon
Would soon catch on,
To the foolish words and not buy it.
–
Alas, they were amazed,
When the stupid thing was praised…
No one claimed to see
Its tomfoolery,
And no objections were raised!
–
Alas, poor academia,
Write crap–you think it love–
“Goobledegook”
As truth they took,
On which none suspected of…!
–
The authors, on Buck Sexton’s show,
Said academia scored very low…
Feeding such junk
To students who sunk
Under such high=priced foolishness—low!
–
It troubles me that they tried,
With hopes of opening eyes…
Weren’t they aware
That complicity there,
Had already stagnified?
–
Embarrassing people is the same
As a liberal calling bad names…
Same vocabulary–
What eye opening–
Wasting time on trite little games?
–
Truth must come by force,
Changing hearts, not playing horse…
Christ had to die
Be sin crucified,
To change a human soul’s course!
–
If you sound just like their friend,
Why expect foolishness’ end…
Look act like one
You’re shot before begun,
No matter what you’d intend.
–
A dirty joke it was,
A lot of people “buzzed”…
Doesn’t help squat
If the whole lot,
Misses the point of the cause!
–
–Jonathan Caswell,
M.S.E.–Biology, 1983
(for whatever good this is!)
American education:
Idealism never did come…
Always bias
“If you don’t like just try us,”
And misfits generally classed “dumb.”
–
We have made great strides,
But the ideal of college slides…
Leftist filth
It always has built,
Since churches were cast aside.
–
–Jonathan Caswell
(An opinion piece)
Used to be Washington and Lincoln
Birthdays of distinction…
Separate were
Celebrated for,
Each their own fame without linking.
–
Then to reduce off days,
History meaningless in ways…
Three-day weekends
Popular trends,
Became governmental mainstays.
–
Since little history’s taught,
Long weekends are fraught….
Ignorant of meaning
No student gleaning,
Much more that a party onslaught!
–
–Jonathan Caswell
(An opinion piece)
Cities have their “First Night”
A multi-culture delight…
Oft fireworks
Are among the perks,
In all a beautiful sight!
–
The wife and I will be home,
Like Christmas, pretty much alone…
Community dinner
Will warm our winter,
TV programs mostly for the young!
–
On Cable we’ll find a movie,
Or go to bed early (so groovy!)…
A time slot we’ve made
For the Rose Bowl Parade,
After that, we’re not as choosy!
–
Praise God for another year,
To grow in the Spirit to hear…
His inner voice
And making the choice
To grow closer to Him so dear!
–
–Jonathan Caswell
Picture from a recent Worcester, Mass. First Night celebration.
By the Mighty Mumford 