Wanderlust #12: Gestes de Frontière

Gestes de Frontière by Darren B. Naural

When, from France, you arrive in Ventimiglia,

you change trains to continue your journey,

to go back to where you originally came from.

Cote d’Azur trains are modern, brightly coloured,

and very cold in summer. Air conditioning.

In Ventimiglia you take the Regionale.

It’s an old train; warm air blows from the open windows.

It’s blue and green, with those old yellow tungsten lights.

And that day it was empty.

At the first stop I heard a singing hum,

an electric choir.

So I took my aural magnifying glass and tried to find it.

A stroll with a goaI.

During my little gestural investigation I encountered many other

squeaks, rhythms and resonances;

until I could finally hear the high voltage angels again

and returned to my seat; faithful,

to enjoy the view.