Ghost Train - Stockport-Chester-Stockport

On 27 October 2010, The Ghost Train ran from Stockport to Chester and back. Ghost stories were told all the way, by Jan (of Ghost Tours) with ghost poem stories and story songs by me.  There was wonderful face painting - by Lily of Chester, for the children and goodie bags - and all for the standard rail fare.

In Chester, a short Ghost Tour. by Jan and Tom, walked us round the city of shadows and ghosts

All the way back to Stockport  I related and sang poem-stories and story-songs about ghosts - even to some startled people who had not realised they were catching the Ghost Train. Cat stories were added by Judie Collins and the guard.

The event was organised with Northern Rail by

Mid Cheshire Community Rail Partnership Officer, Sally Buttifant, who also took the photograph below

Charlotte telling ghost stories

A small selection of Ghost stories follows:

(It should be made clear that these short pieces are not written to be 'read', but to be performed, with due atmospheric menace)

Peggy's Shade

Along the Rows moves Peggy's shade

In ankle boots and cloak and gown

A lacy bonnet holds her hair

These last three hundred years its grown

From copper brown to streaming white

From rich to sparse her hair has flown

Collecting heartache with her years

She drifts and moans - an ancient crone

For where her 'darling' once caroused

She yet caught sight - or she was shown

That he had mistresses around

She took his gun and shot him down

In Gallowgate she swung in air

But as she swung - her hair of brown

Turned white and sparse - and on her face

Her laughing face - she wore a frown

Since then she searches round the town

For him she loved - who let her down

Her loss the greater - she agrees

Because she shot her 'hand-me-down'

So nevermore can she move on

Nor cease her grief nor once atone

But must in agony remain

Upon the street where she alone

Must pay the price for death she made

Must frighten us - must moan and groan

15Oct2010

The 'heap'

Shadowed by the Roman Wall

The 'heap' flowed slowly along

Muttering gutteral sounds drifting

Above - in misty dusk - the child

Walking nervously behind his dog

Peered forward and - anxiously

Backward

The dog - a wire haired terrier mutt

Sensing anxiety and something

Else

Growled low - his hackles raised

Feeling the threat

He stopped moving

The child

Frightened of

Something

Whimpered

His hand

On the dog's collar

Growling

Whirling away

Behind

The dog

Snapped ferociously

Into air

The air cleared

Dog and child

Moved on

Behind them

Low whining ululated

The 'heap' drifting sadly back

Below the wall

In deeper shadow

Gutteral again - Rising and falling

Whimpering

Waiting

For the next

15Oct2010

Baby Ghoul - Blue

There once was a baby ghoul - Blue

Who said: "I've a haunting for you"

So he threw down his bones

Practiced groaning and moans

And then vanished - with no more ado

25Oct2010

Head hunters

They found a little carving worn by time

A copy of a long gone warrior=s head

A trophy-token carried by a Celt

The spirit of an enemy now dead

The Celt believed each human attribute

Of enemies  could make the victor strong

So chopping off and carrying the head

Protected him from foes he walked among

But heavy heads are ghoulish in the home

They rot and smell and make the children ill

Attracting rats and boars to forage in

A carving was reminder of a kill

Made head-sized or the size of human thumbs

Set high on posts or mantels in his den

Or warding evil spirits on a belt

The hunted heads of Britain stared again

13May1997



The Beast

The beast - he said - was striped

And really bigger than you'd think

Its teeth - he said - were sharp

Its claws were honed

It sat - he said - all day

Just trying to work out

If it was live or not

And couldn't tell

It sometimes filtered through

Perched high upon a branch

It worked out what to do

And watched what they did too

It thought it wouldn't stay

It bared two rows of teeth

And as it smiled away

Its colour faded slow

Its elbows and its knees

Were followed by its tail

Its face and ears were next

Until - with just a smile

It vanished

21Oct2010

Goostrey Arts Fringe on Goostrey Station
Index Page - TracksnTrains


Main site
Poetry site
Song site
Child Poems site
Protest poems and songs
When this Delightful Dawning Ends
Exhibition photographs
CV & Review & Comment
posted by Charlotte Peters Rock - charlottepetersrock@tiscali.co.uk - 0156 5722738 - Main site: http://charlottepetersrock.blogspot.com