October in the Railroad Earth

The leaves are falling and there are trains everywhere, rolling through this quiet forest, rolling far away and into oblivion.

The call of the iron wheel echoes, crossing bridges, through the trees, its sound makes me think of the wind and the beauty of silence.

Each moment fleeting, bound up in the sights and sounds of nature, I can hear the whispers of leaves, all around, immersing me in the colors of autumn.

The soft kiss of the sun breaks through, inviting me to wander, to seek the home of the wild, the sort of life breathes free between the tracks.

• Jack Kerouac

• Jack Kerouac