The teacher looked around the
Classroom.
“Now where was I?”

She was on a train
In Gettysburg, 1863
In the midst of a
Bloody battle
Describing the gruesome
Violence

“Paul, could you please tell me about
How many deaths there were?”

But Paul was not
In Gettysburg, 1863
He was on a different train
At the Westfield football field
It was 2012
State championships
Reliving that winning pass
That he dropped

“Paul, pay attention! Lydia, help him out.
About how many deaths were there?”
But Lydia was also
Not in Gettysburg anymore.
Yes, she had arrived in Gettysburg
And promptly departed
Too many deaths,
Too many reminders
of that other day.
Her train had taken her
to the kitchen table
September 11, 2001.
Tears streaming down her face
How could her father be
Gone?
He was here just this morning

And Britney, to Lydia's left
Her train was in a futuristic world
Of brightly lit
Stores
At the mall
What shirt should she buy?
Oh, and she also needs some jeans.

There are many
Trains of thought.

Nearing seven billion,
One for each person.
Every day
New trains are born
And some
Disappear
Gone.
All going
in different directions
to different places.
Some are dark,
Some are happy.
To each his own.

We are all conductors.

“Okay, class, I can see you're not paying attention.
You will finish this for
homework, due tomorrow.”