Katydids

The wall of sound 
undulating 
almost sounds mechanical 
one group syncopated with another 
might as well be its echo 
the laborious breathing of heavy machinery 
katydids almost like a train themselves 
the shuddering of a steam engine 
climbing 
metal against metal 
a series of levers  
painstakingly revolving wheels 
the katydids have propelled themselves 
through the forest 
over the Smokies 
across state lines