Royal American Train

                                                                                     By:  Riley Lincoln

                                                                                            West Palm Beach, FL

                                                                                            May, 2011

Counting the railroad ties

while walking up the old railroad track

is a lot easier than counting them

when you gotta come back.

Walking up the old track

you see hope and treasure.

Every night will be a pleasure,

you're never gonna look back.

Everything in the world you ever wanted

is right up the track.

There are gonna be  lots of neon lights and dancing girls.

Everything will be all right.

Wait a minute.

Is that a train coming down the track?

Sure is.

Better jump back.

Wait, this is not a regular old train,

this is a beautiful sight.

It's painted all bright.

It's the Royal American train

heading north across the plain.

Wait, it's slowing down,

and suddenly I heard a sound.

It was the brake man.

He was hollering really loud...

Jump on this train,

we will take you to wealth and fame.

This is what I always waited for

and then the train seemed to roar.

I jumped aboard, I'm gonna go.

That man said, Don't worry,

we'll find you a hole.

I was out at the cotton carnival

in Memphis a few days before.

Now I'm on the Royal American train

and gonna see more.

We were heading out of Memphis

across the great plain.

Pulled into Davenport

in a pouring rain.

Then a man hollered,,,

Let's go, boy, let's set up.

There I stood in the rain,

looking at my wealth and fame.

I must have been real dumb

because in a couple of minutes

I smashed my thumb.

I traveled across Canada

and across the U.S.,

and everywhere else I guess.

It was life at its best.

I drifted away from the show,

then met a friend I didn't know.

He said, I can give you wealth and fame

if you don't mind running a little cocaine.

I've always chased wealth and fame

but it's a tough game,

In '81 I was hauling a load

out of Columbus down the road. 

Crossed the border into Panama,

going to Panama City.

I was sitting pretty.

Then all of a sudden on my left

I saw light towers shining bright.

Wheels were turning,

the riders were packed tight.

It was a beautiful sight.

I pulled in real slow,

there I seen it...

the front gate read

Royal American Show.

Then I realized that I had found my wealth and fame

a long time ago.

It was the Royal American Show.

It was when we crossed the plain,

getting wet in the rain.

I wanna go back to that old railroad track.

But I can't.

Six police cars just drove up and surrounded me...

more police than I ever did see.

Now I'm looking out from behind bars

and I sure can't see very far.

All I can do is dream

about my wealth and fame.

The beautiful Royal American Train

is my dream!

                                    Showmans' Poet