The Mail Train

[marianne joy]

I think that is the title of the poem which used to feature in an advert on the television about bthe mail train as it is read, it sounds just like the wheels of the train going round. Can anyone help please with the correct title and poet please. Many thanks and if anyone knows of a web site where I can find the words that would be marvellous thanks for your time

Marianne Joy

[mystress]

marianne,

Hi there,

The Poem is called "The Night Mail" by WH Auden.

Click on this link to see the whole poem.

http://www.erzsebel.com/clock/clockarchives/003007.html

[Quizmonster]

'Night Mail' by W H Auden. Click here  to see the poem.

[Quizmonster]

Oh dear! Yet another bit of synchrography, Mystress.

[marianne joy]

thank you so much mystress.

[flaming]

Wasn't there a famous old film, showing the whole journey in about 4 mins., speeded up with train wheel sound track,   London-Scotland ,  with John Betjamen's voice-over of the poem?  Sorters were shown putting mail into compartments, long-shots of the train hurtling along, near shots of railway tracks, etc.

[flaming]

P.S.  I love the name  Quizmonster.  I imagine a   happy-looking Tyrannosaurus Rex , green I think, sitting at a pub. tablle, with pencil aloft and pad in front!

[flaming]

correction:  'table'.

[Quizmonster]

Well, Flaming, you've certainly got the "sitting at a pub table" right! Most evenings, anyway. Virtually always happy, if not necessarily " happy-looking".

Are you yourself "ablaze" with passion or with anger? Cheers

[flaming]

T.Rexes are 'happy-looking'  because they always look as though they are grinning.  But they might not be happy really.

For my name, think of a well-known phrase, soon to be over-used as it is every year   and/or   think of the title of a famous painting.      (Keep it quiet though!)

[Quizmonster]

Gotcha!

[dondons]

there is a DVD which shows the film made in the thirties by the Post Office Film Unit I know as I bought it as a christmas presant for my husband last year. Try Amazon 

[flaming]

what's happened to the rest of dondon's post. It tails off on my screen. I see it's about a DVD available. I should learn to type Betjeman correctly.

[flaming]

and dondons.   I often leave off the apostrophe after an 's' as it sounds clumsy.  I recall I was taught that was in order.    Could I put:   'dondons' post'? or should it be  dondons's post'  to avoid confusion between singular and plural?