Why is “The Railroad Earth” Considered Both Poetry and Prose? And How Does It Dance Between the Lines of Reality and Imagination?

Jack Kerouac’s The Railroad Earth is a literary work that defies easy categorization. It is a piece that exists in the liminal space between poetry and prose, blending the rhythmic cadence of verse with the narrative structure of prose. This unique fusion has led to its recognition as a hybrid form of literature, one that captures the essence of Kerouac’s spontaneous prose style while also embodying the lyrical qualities of poetry. To understand why The Railroad Earth is considered both poetry and prose, we must explore its stylistic elements, thematic depth, and the cultural context in which it was written.

The Rhythmic Cadence of Poetry

One of the most striking features of The Railroad Earth is its rhythmic quality. Kerouac’s writing often mimics the flow of jazz music, a genre he deeply admired. The sentences in The Railroad Earth are long and winding, filled with repetitions, alliterations, and internal rhymes that create a musicality reminiscent of poetry. For example, Kerouac writes:

“The railroad earth is a big black locomotive with a big black smokestack and a big black tender and a big black caboose and a big black engineer and a big black fireman and a big black brakeman and a big black conductor and a big black flagman and a big black switchman and a big black telegraph operator and a big black station agent and a big black ticket agent and a big black baggage man and a big black mail clerk and a big black express messenger and a big black Pullman porter and a big black dining car waiter and a big black chef and a big black steward and a big black waiter and a big black busboy and a big black dishwasher and a big black janitor and a big black watchman and a big black gateman and a big black yardmaster and a big black trainmaster and a big black dispatcher and a big black superintendent and a big black general manager and a big black president and a big black board of directors and a big black stockholder and a big black bondholder and a big black creditor and a big black debtor and a big black lawyer and a big black judge and a big black jury and a big black sheriff and a big black deputy and a big black marshal and a big black warden and a big black prisoner and a big black chaplain and a big black doctor and a big black nurse and a big black undertaker and a big black gravedigger and a big black mourner and a big black preacher and a big black choir and a big black congregation and a big black church and a big black steeple and a big black bell and a big black cross and a big black Bible and a big black hymnbook and a big black organ and a big black piano and a big black violin and a big black trumpet and a big black trombone and a big black saxophone and a big black clarinet and a big black flute and a big black drum and a big black tambourine and a big black banjo and a big black guitar and a big black mandolin and a big black ukulele and a big black harmonica and a big black kazoo and a big black jug and a big black washboard and a big black washtub and a big black washstand and a big black washcloth and a big black washbasin and a big black washrag and a big black washbucket and a big black washpan and a big black washboard and a big black washtub and a big black washstand and a big black washcloth and a big black washbasin and a big black washrag and a big black washbucket and a big black washpan and a big black washboard and a big black washtub and a big black washstand and a big black washcloth and a big black washbasin and a big black washrag and a big black washbucket and a big black washpan and a big black washboard and a big black washtub and a big black washstand and a big black washcloth and a big black washbasin and a big black washrag and a big black washbucket and a big black washpan and a big black washboard and a big black washtub and a big black washstand and a big black washcloth and a big black washbasin and a big black washrag and a big black washbucket and a big black washpan and a big black 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