In life, it is important to stop and think for a moment before making any decisions. Too often, people just make a choice because it is the first thought that pops into their head, they don't look for any other options, or, weigh the results, outcomes, or consequences of whatever decision they do make. This idea was greatly exemplified in Kenneth Koch's "One Train May Hide Another."
Koch saw a sign in Kenya "One Train May Hide Another" which inspired him to write this poem, which takes the form of a list. It list different examples, or situations, where one object hides another. For example, "In the laboratory, one invention may hide another." What this means is you may be so fixated on one invention, you may not realize you have created something else.
The most important, and meaningful lines of this poem are the last four, "Pause to let the first on pass/You think, now it is safe to cross and you are hit by the next one/It can be important/To have waited at least a moment to see what was already there." This is a great conclusion to a very meaningful poem. What this concluding statement means is that it is important to stop and think before making your decision because no matter how obvious your decision may seem, always think about other options. Sometimes people suffer repercussions from poor decisions, however, sometimes don't make the choices that would have us more satisfied.
http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/15592
The last four lines are heavier than the rest of the poem; the tone changes. While the speaker is more light-hearted through the rest, he means business at the end.
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