Iron Will

Iron Will

rail splitter baptism

directional mishap

life took a train

going to a failsafe

the escape was minimal

and then your face

looked out the window

of the Pullman

and I was pulled in

by the scenery

of your beauty

got a ticket

and ran away with you

as the conductor

did a confirmation of our 

boarding pass

and we spoke in dreams

of plans

and love

family and successful endeavors

And then we woke

to find ourselves 

thrown out of the rolling church

of illegitimate concept

we were given

last rites

of passage

walking along the tracks

amazed at how the scenery

on closer look

was quite ordinary

erin-cilberto

8/20/25

Reviews

[DIVYA]

A runaway love...All was beautiful when it began...and then the unceremonious expulsion....very sobering. Strangely, we find- what looked so great then doesn't do so after the chastisement by life and we wonder why we were swept away. The fault is ours - we just don't want to give up our fantasies.
So many nuances here, so many delightful twists...Your poetry is unmatched, dear Jacob.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

You are too kind. Anyway, Hank wrote this and most of my other poems, she is my ghost cat writer! :))))
Thank you Divya....
"Chastisement by life" great phrasing there.

[DIVYA]

You'll just have to let me borrow her then. 😁
Thank you, in advance!

[jacob erin-cilberto]

She's see likes you and remembers when she met you, so she will do it for free...haha.

[DIVYA]

Great to know she's in her elements! She's always missed. :)

[Soren]

Such a real metaphor of love at first sight whirlwind romance and imagery of passion that with time cools and becomes ordinary. Very nicely imaged and put together. Loved it

[jacob erin-cilberto]

Thank you for your very kind review, Soren.
j.

[Soren]

Always a pleasure Jacob your poems are always a delight to read

[Montana ~ Arthur Henn]

“I really enjoyed this — the train imagery tied so beautifully with the emotions.”

[jacob erin-cilberto]

Thank you, Arthur.
j.

[emmajoygreen]

Read then re-read trying and I think succeeding in finding the metaphorical under-currents of your flow of words, jacob. You never fail to send me in- and onto different plains where what one sees and feels can be so very personal. 'I seek and find according to heart and thought.' Many thanks, as always for sharing, sir

[jacob erin-cilberto]

Thank you for your kind review, em.
j.

[emmajoygreen]

You're always very welcome, sir. Will be zzzing soon but perhaps, including a touch of
' we spoke in dreams
of plans
and love
family and successful endeavors'
but think it wise to set aside a few other words..

[Soulii]

Hi! There were many lines in this poem I thought were great and really flavourful, but my favourites are the lines: "[O]f the Pullman" right into "[A]nd I was pulled in". I thought that was immensely clever and gives me inspiration for things to attempt in my own writing. Immaculate :)

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you for your very kind words, Soulii.
j.

[John the Baptist]

A lot of metaphor and symbolism in this one. When we are young we can be fooled by the attractiveness certain aspects of life can provide. Thus we can get on the wrong train, and things are great until they're not. Then we find ourselves walking along the tracks, thinking "What were we thinking?" But of course, like all else, it's just another lesson.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

Many lessons in life...and some poets are good at imparting lessons in their work...your poetry does that.
thanks, John.
j.

[John the Baptist]

And thank you, sir.

[Chris Shaw]

Great use of metaphors j. Train journeys can be thrilling. I especially love the train journey around the coastline of Dawlish on our west coast. Spectacular views and you pick up on the moods of the sea. However, a journey in love can be something else. What was supposed to be one thing, full of forever and promise can develop into something else altogether. You don’t get what was promised on the tin at all. How disappointing that can turn out to be.

Chris

[jacob erin-cilberto]

If only we could get a refund for our ticket in that case.
Thank you, my friend.
j.

[Gray C. Sweet]

I love the stanza:
And then we woke
to find ourselves
thrown out of the rolling church
of illegitimate concept
So many of the stages/loves/beliefs in our life feel so quick and ridiculous in retrospect, but it usually doesn't keep us from boarding the next train lmao

[jacob erin-cilberto]

Thank you for your kind review, Gray.
j.

[Vol]

Jacob,
Isn't it interesting they say "Love is Blind" when the reality is, as you say here, it just takes us from Kansas to Oz...
Vol

[jacob erin-cilberto]

Sorry Toto.
thank you, Vol.
j.

[Tom]

Another inspiring, metaphor marvellous, poetic pen from you pen Jacob, this train journey beginning in accordance with age old 'set in stone' rules that daily commutures follow without thought, then along away for this individula spontaneous excitiment in the form of love but to step outside the regulations risks alienation and so love even life now seems so mundane and unfulfilling...

5 x Star

[jacob erin-cilberto]

I appreciate your insights on this piece, Tom.
j.

[Ms claws]

Realization is a b***h, ain't it...I make so many promises, then get so caught up in life I forget.
Those awesome moments should be enough to keep us on track...but they're not, J.
We are human and we mess up.
What a wonderful reminder.
Thanks for sharing.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

Yes, we mess up...wish we would learn better from our mess ups.
Thank you, Eternity.
j.

[Ms claws]

Sorry, I have a tendency to apply personally especially when I don't have a date. It is a great poem.