In nineteen sixty four, they spanned the Forth
With a steel bridge, which leapt from side to side
And linked the north to south, and south to north,
A symbol, then, of engineering pride.
But now the traffic thunders night and day
Shaking the cables to their very heart
So next they'll have to close the bridge, they say
And build another - soon they'll make a start.
The railway bridge, which stands downstream a space
Has been there for a century, and more
And still it stands to lock the banks in place
And carry passengers from shore to shore.
Then does technology, through time advance
Or should the past deserve a second glance?
A contest entry
- For all Sonneteers by masterblaster.
1000 points, ended February 19, 2008, 12 entries
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest - Invites Only by masterblaster.
300 points, ended February 22, 2008, 3 entries
Bronze trophy winner
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest
Please tell me what you think
Comments
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Hi, very interesting sonnet, well it happened in ancient Egypt with the pyramids,so yes I feel sometimes we go backwards not forward, a very different subject to most sonnets, I liked it a lot. Di
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Sorry, I cannot think about anything but the silvery Tay.
Pause. Traffic congestion again, prosperity bites us in the rear. Your sestet suggests that more people could be riding the train and using what their grandparents built for them. Good thoughts, interesting sonnet. Good luck!
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Funnily enough, William Arrol built the Forth Rail Bridge after the Tay Bridge Disaster, and since people were justifiably apprehensive about rail journeys across bridges, it was built to extraordinary safety specifications which is probably why it is still standing strong until this day. Here's a link to the Bridges website. You may note that 63 people died while building the rail bridge, and it is only within the past couple of years that the figure has been established and a monument erected to their memory.
http://www.forthbridges.org.uk/index.htm
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a timepiece sonnet
I enjoyed this tale of two bridges,and to boot, that old legend of railway..imagery flowed in this timepiece sonnet.the 9th line was a fitting retourne,.unique and inspiring..good luck in contest ..
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