Pancras Pancakes

St Pancras lifts 
its red brick above the rails,
morning light slithering 
like a spine along the arches
as travellers eddy in loose currents
toward platforms breathing warm air.

A name rolls through the hall-
PAN-'krəs-
and in the drift of bodies
another sound shivers beside it,
PANK-ree-'əs,
one note striking the tiles sharp and bright,
the other dragging low through the crowd,
their clash flickering in the rafters
before thinning into the station’s breath.

Kreato- waits near the ticket gates,
unhurried,
its consonants scraping 
faint lines through the air,
vowels looping after them in slow curls,
the whole shape clinging to the gate rail
like tangled ivy grown there overnight,
standing beside create
only because the letters
happen to share a coat.

Announcements crack overhead 
like distant signals,
footsteps scatter across the concourse,
and the paired syllables drift away-
one toward anatomy,
one toward trains-
until a warm scent rises
through the churn of steam,
tracing a departed train’s path,
sweet as a held breath.

A pan on the griddle-
each flap a fleeting platform,
batter rising like a paused announcement.

Pancakes!

. 

.

Reviews

[red93]

Ah St Pancras Freds - you are on Sacred Territory here. The Station was much beloved by Sir John Betjeman, our fellow Oxonian, Poet Laureate, and Champion of Victorian Architecture. Betjeman held a life long grudge against another Great UK Writer, CS Lewis of the Narnia Chronicles, who had terminated Betjeman's time at Oxford Uni back in the day. Amazing what one can find on TWC on a cold Dark December morning. Exceptional ✨️✨️✨️✨️✨️

[redd Brick Keshner]

Thanks dear Tony. Have an excellent new year!

[red93]

✨️✨️✨️✨️✨️

[BuzzyB]

Words take shape here in very interesting ways. You make the train station come alive in all its sounds and scents.

[redd Brick Keshner]

Let's take that as a good thing, as it were a painting with sounds and scents, using our words. You have truly made my day BusyBee... i thank thee 🙏🕊️

[BuzzyB]

I'm happy I could add positivity to your day. You're welcome.

[Zatoichi]

Bravo! Riding the breakfast express to have pancakes with St Pancras is a great way to start the day.

[redd Brick Keshner]

That is truly hard to too! Thanks for cheering on the poem. You are greatly appreciated, Zatoichi🙏🏻🕊️