"One Train May Hide Another" by Kenneth Koch

"One Train May Hide Another" is read aloud by Kenneth Koch on http://poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/15592. The tone he used as he read this poem reflected a sense of calmness and pause, which went along with the overall message of the poem. He did not rush through his reading, but instead took his time to slowly and clearly emphasize each word and each line of the poem. The pace at which he read gave the audience a chance to respond with laughter at humorous points and to have a chance for reflection during other points in the poem. It was like when you have a nicely seasoned juicy steak at a restaurant and you take your time to savor each bite, as opposed to rushing through the meal and barely getting to appreciate the time and dedication the chef gave in preparing your meal. The poet read in a way in which you could really appreciate and understand each word that he thoughtfully and carefully placed in the poem, which was the result that he had been striving for.

The repetition of the phrase, "One may hide another," emphasizes that we should take the time to pause and really look at the whole picture. We should not be impulsive in our decisions but instead should look closely at all of our options. We should look deeper than the surface of people, things, and situations and take the time to really process what and who is around us. His continuous repetition of this phrase demonstrated how strongly he believed that we should appreciate the whole picture when viewing something and not just the individual parts.

This thought is truly reflective of the tone of the New York poets, who didn't just look at and reflect on their own poetry but that of the other New York poets, as well. In addition, they opened their lives and minds to the work of the artists from that time period. They spent a great deal of time looking closely at and analyzing one another's poems and art. They were a very reflective and collaborative group of people. This is demonstrated by this incredible poem that was inspired as Kenneth Koch saw a sign at a railway crossing.