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The Long Train Ride

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We boarded for the long ride on that train - It brought back memories of being young. Conductor: "Passengers will please refrain!" Now 'City of New Orleans' on each tongue, We sang through all those train songs we'd once sung: The 'Loco-Motion', 'Marrakesh Express', Then 'Peace Train', 'Love Train', 'Crazy Train' (a mess!) We sang, 'Last Train to Clarksville' just for fun And 'Chattanooga Choo Choo' (more or less!) "We're gone 500 miles when day is done".

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Bj Legros Kelley

Date: 11/17/2021 4:10:00 PM

John, I wanted to stop by and congratulate you on the very high placement of your poem 'The Long Train Ride'. It was a fun entry in the poetry contest 'Railroads, A Historical Glance Back'. I too love those train songs, especially Arlo Guthrie's song 'City of New Orleans'! Thank you for being a wonderful part of the contest. I look forward to reading more of your artistic creations, and again congratulations! ~BJ

John Watt
Date: 11/17/2021 4:32:00 PM

Thank you, Betty Jo, for the very kind congrats and thoughtful comment, not to mention the lovely placement you granted this poem in your contest. You had some marvelous entries and I shall enjoy reading through them as time allows. Thank you for holding this contest and for the inspiration it afforded to our talented poets! Blessings ~ John

Charles Messina

Date: 7/31/2020 5:20:00 AM

This is great, John. I was singing this to the harmony of "City of New Orleans" Fantastic! Thanks for sharing...Love it! Charlie

John Watt
Date: 7/31/2020 6:22:00 PM

Charlie, thank you first for your facebook post about this great song, second for taking time to visit (I don't usually prompt my friends to visit my poems, but this one just seemed so timely to your post), and third for the kind words. Now I'm singing it! Cheers ~ John

Connie Marcum Wong

Date: 5/18/2020 5:09:00 AM

I love your witty and clever Dizain John. It brought on nostalgic smiles. Best of luck in the contest. I love the picture of the train too. Have a great week! xxoo

John Watt
Date: 5/18/2020 9:31:00 AM

Thank you very much, my friend. Hope your Monday is a beautiful day, aloha ~ John

Heidi Sands

Date: 4/30/2020 9:38:00 AM

This was fun to read today! Well done. I hope you have a nice day :)

John Watt
Date: 4/30/2020 12:02:00 PM

I hope the same for you, Heidi. Thank you for dropping by and leaving me with your uplifting words ~ John

Lonna Blodgett

Date: 4/25/2020 10:31:00 PM

It seemed I was riding the same train with you, and singing the same songs. What a great ride of a poem, taking us back to Nostalgia!

John Watt
Date: 4/25/2020 10:35:00 PM

Oh Lonna, I'm so glad you enjoyed the ride! Songs are so great for taking us back to a simpler time.

Caren Krutsinger

Date: 4/21/2020 1:30:00 AM

You had me at "Chattanooga Choo Choo" for sure! Okay, I liked. You had me after the first line. Nice one!

John Watt
Date: 4/25/2020 10:42:00 PM

Ha ha! I love hearing the Andrews Sisters singing Chattanooga Choo Choo! "Pardon me, boy..."

Andrea Dietrich

Date: 4/20/2020 4:43:00 PM

way to go, my friend. you placed very well with this creative dizain! Finished now so I hope to walk my doggie.

John Watt
Date: 4/20/2020 4:43:00 PM

Have a great walk!

Mark Koplin

Date: 4/20/2020 8:29:00 AM

Great Poem! That was a treat to read. I do love that song.

John Watt
Date: 4/20/2020 12:57:00 PM

Thank you kindly, sir. It was nice to see comments from so many who also enjoy "The City of New Orleans". It's the consummate train song. Be safe and well.

Jcb Brul

Date: 4/20/2020 4:54:00 AM

Dialogues that are as fresh as evergreen! Truly splendid piece!

John Watt
Date: 4/20/2020 12:56:00 PM

Thank you very much for your visit and kind comment, JCB

Evelyn Judy Buehler

Date: 4/19/2020 10:42:00 PM

Really lovely poem, John. It's so full of good times and song. Train rides are such fun. Congratulations on a well deserved win. :)

John Watt
Date: 4/19/2020 11:41:00 PM

I agree with you about train rides being fun, Evelyn! Thanks for the visit and congrats!

Darlene De Beaulieu

Date: 4/19/2020 1:10:00 PM

Hello John Watt, this poem made me feel like i was on a train ride somewhere. Thank you. Be safe. Enjoy your day my friend.

Darlene De Beaulieu
Date: 4/19/2020 5:44:00 PM

Hello John Watt, Yes I did enjoy my train ride. I like the sound of the train whistle. Thank you and you be safe to my friend. Enjoy your evening my friend.

John Watt
Date: 4/19/2020 1:12:00 PM

Darlene, All Aboard! Hope you enjoyed your train ride, my friend! Thank you for your visit. Be safe and have a great day!

Curtis Johnson

Date: 4/19/2020 10:09:00 AM

Nice, John. Congrats. It reminds me of my Amtrax ride from California to Chicago.

John Watt
Date: 4/19/2020 11:44:00 AM

That would be a long train ride, for sure. Thanks for the visit and congrats, Curtis

John Gondolf

Date: 4/18/2020 11:57:00 AM

Bravo, my friend, I love the way you put this together with the song titles. It brought back memories as I read the poem. Best of luck in the contest, I think this will do well. John

John Watt
Date: 5/18/2020 9:29:00 AM

Thank you kindly, sir. These are fond memories for me as well.

Jc Hawkens

Date: 4/18/2020 11:17:00 AM

I am not familiar with Dizain poetry, but I do love your poem. It is a beautiful expression of a time gone bye.

John Watt
Date: 4/18/2020 11:20:00 AM

Thank you JC. I am a JC as well (middle name is Carl). I agree, trains make me think of a bygone era. Funny, as we still have trains all around us! Have a great weekend.

Gordon Mcconnell

Date: 4/17/2020 1:32:00 PM

A well constructed piece John with nice rhyme and good imagery too. Love how you brought in the various train songs into tune, some I knew and some not heard before. Keep well and safe, Blessings always,Gordon

John Watt
Date: 4/17/2020 8:11:00 PM

Thanks for the uplifting words, my friend. Hope you have a chance to hear some of these on youtube that maybe you hadn't heard before. Hope all is well in your household. Blessings to you, John

Kenneth Cheney

Date: 4/17/2020 1:23:00 PM

Love all those train songs. Thanks for bringing them to mind. Keep singing.

John Watt
Date: 4/17/2020 8:10:00 PM

Glad you enjoyed this little sing-a-long, Kenneth! I tried to fit "I've Been Working On The Railroad", but didn't have enough space left! Blessings ~ John

Wendy Watson

Date: 4/17/2020 6:35:00 AM

What a wonderful journey I've just been on! Starting with your 'good feel' train ride and then off to Marrakesh with Crosby Stills and Nash, connecting to Cat Stevens' 'peace train' both of which became big hits over in the UK. I'd never heard of the 'City of New Orleans' so it was fun to hear that one too. Thank you for this fun start to my morning,John!

John Watt
Date: 4/17/2020 8:09:00 PM

Wendy, so happy you enjoyed the journey! I wasn't sure anybody would recognize Marrakesh Express - glad you did. I hope you had a chance to hear 'City of New Orleans'; either by Arlo Guthrie or Willie Nelson. Thank you for your endearing response, Wendy!

Michelle Faulkner

Date: 4/16/2020 7:06:00 PM

Train songs are so catchy and fun - I know almost all of these, but 'City of New Orleans' is my favorite (Willy Nelson's version, for me anyway) this is such a creative entry!

John Watt
Date: 4/17/2020 1:04:00 AM

Next time we go on a train ride together, I'll bring my guitar! I agree with you, 'New Orleans' is my fave of this group, but I haven't heard Willie sing it. Yet.

Leo Larry Amadore

Date: 4/16/2020 6:49:00 PM

Love trains and train songs! I've never taken a train ride in the U.S. (except, perhaps, on els and subways), but I really did always enjoy trips on trains in Europe (mainly Germany, Spain, France, and Switzerland) -- unfortunately, not so much in Mexico! lol

John Watt
Date: 4/17/2020 12:55:00 AM

Leo, thanks for the visit and travelogue! I wish I could do more travel by rail. Take care!

Andrea Dietrich

Date: 4/16/2020 6:44:00 PM

How cleverly you faced this challenge, John. So cool how you incorporated all those cute train song titles!!! I am almost done here (finally) Will see ya later, alligator.

John Watt
Date: 4/17/2020 12:58:00 AM

Thanks! I was hoping to fit 'I'll Be Working On The Railroad' but couldn't quite make it work, haha! In a while, verbophile!

Ilene Bauer

Date: 4/16/2020 4:12:00 PM

i remember most of those, john! i like the way you've incorporated them into your poem. best of luck in the contest...

John Watt
Date: 4/17/2020 1:07:00 AM

Thanks Ilene! True story, too! I'm blessed to be part of a musical family and on this train ride we just started singing all the train songs we could think of!