If you see a train this evening,Far away against the sky,Lie down in your wooden blanket,Sleep, and let the train go by.Trains have called us, every midnight,From a thousand miles away,Trains that pass through empty cities,Trains that have no place to stay.No one drives the locomotive,No one tends the staring light,Trains have never needed riders,Trains belong to bitter night.Railway stations stand deserted,Rights-of-way lie clear and cold:What we left them, trains inherit,Trains go on, and we grow old.Let them cry like cheated lovers,Let their cries find only wind
The quote reflects on the haunting presence of trains that traverse lonely landscapes at night, evoking a sense of nostalgia and loss. It describes a scene where passersby are encouraged to lay down and rest as trains pass by, signifying both a physical and emotional journey. The imagery conveys the emptiness left in the wake of these trains, which travel through desolate cities and remain devoid of passengers or purpose, suggesting that they exist in a world apart from human experience.
Pynchon poignantly illustrates the inevitability of time and the passage of life, where trains continue their journey while humans age and change. The abandoned railway stations and clear rights-of-way symbolize neglected dreams or unfulfilled paths. Ultimately, the cries of the trains are likened to those of spurned lovers, resonating with a sense of longing that echoes through the night, leaving their sounds to wander in the wind without finding solace.
