A station drizzling like a hymn
Sung out of tune by neurasthenes,
In a tin church where darkness leans
Down through the windows blear and grim!
A miserable oil-lamp winks
Like a drab slut, and stares and stinks.
The train snorts out a large disgust,
And snorts again and spits out dust.
Then suddenly a lightning wakes!
The fumes, the squalors dissipate.
Then suddenly a young voice breaks
Into the darkness like a knife;
—Full of choked hopes and whipt regrets,
Hungry for love, half-dumb with hate,
Intense with death and sick for life,
—Into the darkness like a knife!
"Buy Choc-o-late and Cig-ar-ettes!
Buy Cig-ar-ettes and Choc-o-late!"