Chairman’s Chit Chat January 2026
“All Right?”
It was all winter
No clouds, no leaves
The sky was all sky
It was all frost
And all the best stars were mirror ball bright
Then I noticed this guy on the bridge
This one solitary guy
With a 10 yard, 20 yard, 50 yard stare in his eye
Looking onto the tracks
Looking straight down the line
I’ve never been one for meddling
I don’t like to pry
But I wandered across
And heard myself saying
“All right?”
A train went past
… so whatever he said in reply
Got atomized
Then he spun on his heels
And veered off into the night
And I slept all the better
For not just passing him by
Come spring
Come shine
The station buttered with warm light
I saw him again
On the edge of platform 9 9 9
But he nodded and smiled
And silently mouthed
“All Right”
Then jumped on a train and rode away into his life.
This beautiful and powerful poem by the Yorkshire-born Poet Laureate, Simon Armitage, was commissioned by Northern Rail to coincide with Mental Health Awareness Week.
Mental health is a hot topic these days and society is more aware of the issues. However, I think most of us assume that mental health problems are something that happens to “other people.” But this is not so. There have been two mental health episodes involving close members of my family recently; one happily resolved with a positive outcome; the other, sadly, an ongoing worry.
To me the poem highlights much more than mental health. It is about what we are as a society and how we engage with our fellow human beings. It shines a light on not only needing to be a good friend and neighbour but about reaching out to strangers.
A small act or gesture of kindness, in the form of a few words, or a hand on the shoulder, has the potential to make a significant impact on someone’s life.
Don’t be afraid to ask “All Right?”
With that in mind, I wish you, one and all, a healthy, happy, peaceful and safe New Year.
If you wish to hear a reading of this poem by Mark Addy, click the link below.
All right? | A poem by Simon Armitage, read by Mark Addy | Northern Trains
Tags: health, Mark Addy, wellness