Pantoums Concerning Trains

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Pantoum #1

A Passenger's Report: The 1977 De Punt Train Hijacking

The answer to whose a terrorist and what is terrorism is based on a point of view.
We boarded unaware of the plight of the Moluccans, or what they felt forced to do.
Hijackers recruited a child to stop the train in a field with a simple pull of a cord.
As a passenger, I want my report on the record about this day’s deadly siege.

We boarded unaware of the plight of the Moluccans, or what they felt forced to do.
Desperation was fueled by broken promises, lies, and attacks by Lakhsa Jihad
As a passenger, I want my report on the record about this day's deadly siege.
Muslims belonging to Lakhsa Jihad outnumbered and force Christians to convert

Desperation was fueled by broken promises, lies, and attacks by Lakhsa Jihad
Islamic militants have attacked Christian villages, and circumcised men by force.
Muslims belonging to Lakhsa Jihad outnumbered and forced Christians to convert
To get the worlds attention Moluccans became terrorists, dying for freedoms cause.

Islamic militants have attacked Christian villages, and circumcised men by force.
Who thinks this is not a reason for war? Are they asked to face genocide silent?
To get the worlds attention Moluccans became terrorists, dying for freedoms cause
As in chess, the opening gambit has been played, now all jockey for a position.

Who thinks this is not a reason for war? Are they asked to face genocide silent?
Seeing all sides I ask, "Why can't there be some kind of compromise?"
As in chess, the opening gambit has been played, now all jockey for a position.
Moluccan terrorists acts, from their point of view, don't seem justified to you?

Who thinks this is not a reason for war? Are they asked to face genocide silent?
Hijackers recruited a child to stop the train in a field with a simple pull of a cord.
As in chess, the opening gambit has been played, now all jockey for a position.
The answer to whose a terrorist and what is terrorism is based on a point of view.

~~~~~

Pantoum #2

About the South's General

The General, taken for a joy ride by Union clowns from Big Shanty town - found
Disguised Union soldiers believed they could take the South down
This was the plan that caused Southern civilian railroad men to frown
These men of the South enjoyed chasing these hijacking Union clowns around.

Disguised Union soldiers believed they could take the South down
The twenty stole the South’s General from Big Shanty town
These men of the South enjoyed chasing these hijacking Union clowns around
The thieves’ joy ride on the General was the North’s last from any town

The twenty stole the South’s General from Big Shanty town
There was no way these Southern gentlemen were going to back down
The thieves’ joy ride on the General was the North’s last from any town
For seven hours over eighty-seven miles the railroad men chased these clowns

There was no way these Southern gentlemen were going to back down
The North’s attempt to steal from the South fired this new battleground
For seven hours over eighty-seven miles the railroad men chased these clowns
They switched trains three times giving the North’s clowns no time to rebound

The North’s attempt to steal from the South fired this new battleground
At 1 p.m. the General lost steam allowing the South to stay safe and sound
They switched trains three times giving the North’s clowns no time to rebound
The General was a good Southerner too, letting the men on the Texas gain ground

The North’s attempt to steal from the South fired this new battleground
This was the plan that caused Southern civilian railroad men to frown
They switched trains three times giving the North’s clowns no time to rebound
The General, taken for a joy ride by Union clowns from Big Shanty town - found

~~~~~~~

Pantoum # 3 – chained

Killed Myself for The Job

Speed up! Don’t be late! Be in Spencer on time -- not forty-seven minutes behind.
Got this damn job only a month ago, driving the fastest train on the Southern Line.
“Shovel on a little more coal,” They said, "old No. 97 will be fine."
Rain! Snow! This last steep climb is going to put us all in a bind.

Got this damn job only a month ago, driving the fastest train on the Southern Line.
I’ll make the smokestack bellow and blow; I'll soar as I roar through their towns.
Rain! Snow! This last steep climb is going to put us all in a bind.
I will fly down White Mountain at break neck speeds, and fly across Stillman's Trestle.

I’ll make the smokestack bellow and blow; I'll soar as I roar through their towns.
I boarded in Washington, VA this September Sabbath; now I set the pace in this race.
I will fly down White Mountain at break neck speeds, and fly across Stillman's Trestle.
I’ve blown my whistle; I’ve banged the bell; I’ll get us there, or straight to hell.

I boarded in Washington, VA this September Sabbath; now I set the pace in this race.
Too fast! No brakes! I just know this damn train is going to jump the tracks.
I've blown my whistle; I've banged the bell; I'll get us there, or straight to hell.
I’ll throw the throttle in full reverse, and try not to topple off of that Trestle.

Too fast! No brakes! I just know this damn train is going to jump the tracks.
I see no way that any can survive the sentence of death by the fall to the rocks below.
Threw the throttle in full reverse, and try not to topple off of that Trestle.
On board I’ve got fifteen people and those damn crates of singing canary birds

Too fast! No brakes! I just know this train is going to jump the tracks.
"Shovel more coal," They said, "old No. 97 will be just fine."
Threw the throttle in full reverse, and try not to topple off of that Trestle
Speed up! Don't be late! Be in Spencer on time -- not forty-seven minutes behind.


Chained Pantoum 3- part 2:

After Life

So many wrote ballads and even called me, Joesph "Steve" Broadey, brave.
Said they found me with my hand still on the engine's throttle.
I was not scaled to death, either. Damn train jumped the tracks on Stillman’s Trestle.
I killed most the passengers and crew, but the singing canaries still all flew.

Said they found me with my hand still on the engine's throttle.
It’s all damn lies; somebody should have told me trains don’t really fly.
I killed most of the passengers and crew, but the singing canaries still all flew.
I was new! They had no business with me in charge of their fastest train. They knew.

It’s all damn lies; somebody should have told me trains don’t really fly.
I piled all the coaches one on top the other on the rocks seventy-five feet below.
I was new! They had no business with me in charge of their fastest train. They knew.
I boarded in Washington, the engineer I replaced should’ve told me I’d have no brakes.

I piled all the coaches one on top the other on the rocks seventy-five feet below.
Why did I care if the mail got into Spencer on time?
I boarded in Washington, the engineer I replaced should’ve told me I’d have no brakes.
Killed myself; the passengers and crew, too – save those damn singing canaries.

Why did I care if the mail got into Spencer on time?
There sure aren’t any good reasons to go and kill yourself for the job.
Killed myself; the passengers and crew, too – save those damn singing canaries.
I sure hope my wife is sorry now, I told her I didn’t want to take that damn job.

Why did I care if the mail got into Spencer on time?
I was not scaled to death, either. Damn train jumped the tracks on Stillman’s Trestle.
Killed myself; the passengers and crew, too - save those damn singing canaries.
So many wrote ballads and even called me, Joesph "Steve" Broadey, brave.

~~~~~~~

All of the above written for:

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The Rules and The Prompts:

I did not see where the guidelines said to chose only one prompt; I did all three because I read, The Prompts, and understood that to be plural. You never wrote that we had the option to chose one of The Prompts. I'd rather be safe than sorry.

1. Write a pantoum about the train that was hijacked at De Punt, in The Netherlands in 1977. You have to write out of the viewpoint of one of the passengers.

2. In 1862 they captured a train engine called The General. Tell the story of what happened in a pantoum.

3. The engineer of the Old'97 was found by Danville.... dead. Describe his last minutes in that train, using the pantoum as your form.

Please keep your rating 13+ and lower!

Olympic Decathlon Deadline: October 8th.

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