Ma Catz Barker Rides Again by catz at All poetry

‘Twas in the shadows of the Badlands

When the great train robbery went all wrong

And as the dust settled

I heard the angels sing their song

The music didn’t last long, though

When the memory slipped away

As I was left alone and deserted

My mind a blank until this day

I knew something was missing

There should be more it seemed

Where was my gang, my partners

Where could they all be

I searched among the Badlands

On the back of my best friend

My old mare, Betsy, who had saved me

My life so near its end

But today came the memories

Of those partners in crime

And I knew I was Ma Catz Barker

With the greatest gang of all time

I hope that they all made it

That their bones don’t lie as dust

There’s not much can keep us down

In each other we all trust

So let’s get ready partners

To get on with a brand new plan

There’s another train coming

Ma Catz Barker rides again

Dee Garner

Contest poem for Partners In Crime

Author notes

Our gang got messed up pretty bad but we're tough

A contest entry

Partners in crime group only please by Partners In Crime. 950 points, ended September 5, 5 entries
Honorable winner
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest

Comments

1 - 14 of 14

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Adding your comment:
MargaretG
November 3

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Fun!
When you let your imagination roam, good things happen. I enjoyed reading, and I wonder too where the gang is. Best wishes, Dee!
Ellis
September 16

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You are a bad girl
Ma Catz Barker is a very bad girl
A very bad girl is she
Robbing trains is not nice, girl
Bad example to set, you see

For a grandma, you should be ashamed
Do you want your children robbing trains??
Your rotten ways must be tamed
Or "bad, bad girl" will be all that is said over
your remains

(bad girl)
- catz
  September 16
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  Darn, can't get away with a thing with you, can I. How about if I take you along on the next job and share the bootie with you? That'll give you a different opinion of me. right? I really don't mind sharing.
  
  Dee
Symphony
September 9

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ooh this was fantastic; it was like a real country song [which i love!] could just picture this being sung by a cowboy strutting along the trail

nice job ; thanks for sharing it with us !
BitterDreamer
September 5
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you're so amazzzing
Dove
September 3
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wow Dee this poem is great, love it!
Aesthete2000
September 3

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Interesting story twists,

"...the Mind a blank...."
"...But today came the memories..."

This is such a charming piece,
holding nostalgia, humor and wit.

Very nicely done!

M-C
J aime Coudre
August 31

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Are we not just the bravest, most honorable, stubborn and craftiest although there might be some who would say stupidest gang alive...blow up our money and we look for more...blow us up and we come right back...some how some place we will ride again as the Ma Catz Gang...No posse or sheriff or dynamite is ever gonna stop us...We got our guns and ...what was that other stuff we got?... any way we got what it takes...oh yeah...we got our guts too...So jsu tlet us know where to meet up with you and we will all be there... good luck in the contest Ma...
wingsofgold25
August 31

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Excellent Write
Welcome back " MA." the gang is slowly coming together again and I am sure they will all be ready for the next "CAPER"
Now Back to your entry this was realy great I just loved the rhyme, and the flow was teriffic.
I am glad I don't have to judge this one they are all winners in my book.

Oh yew the next " HEIST" is allready in the planning stage. ( Sssshhhhhhh it's a secret can't tell anyone right now so watch for clues )

Thank you much for your entry and the best of luck in the contest.

ED.
Morningstar1948
August 31

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Now I like this one.
Well sis I guess you made it home? Good. I try to call you and only to find our phone dead again... Steve gone to buy a phone for us. The hurricane is to hit us tonight in the wee hours of the morning. So he gone to get more supply and ammo. The boss told him to call before he come this week coming because if it does what they are perdicting steve wont be going anywhere. We are going to camp to finish mom birthday. she want to play games. She doesnt go to the beauty shop anymore and doesnt do her nails. Kenneth my son ask me why his grandmother stop for. I look at him and said. She is restless and want to go to your grandpa. I said I keep putting off getting my passport. But grandmother said for me to get it. that she says we are going but it will be the last time with us girls.
She told me yesterday that she is tired and there is nothing for her to do anymore. She is ready for our father to let her come to him.We sang Happy Birthday to her and we all kept saying and many more more more birthday to come. She said if you are asking me to promise I will say no. Because I wanted to be with your daddy. I told the girls not to say one word to her. Well the storm will be hitting your daddy pretty hard Sis. You need to keep an eye on him and keep daily contact. Fla is going to get it bad and so is new orleans they are already getting people out of there. My visions saw new orlean going completey in the water and nothing but little or shall I say Big hotel will survive. I love you and I will call you , sent me an email with your phone # to the house and your cell. Well Got to run. Get really to go to the camp and tell my mother I think she need to go home today because of the high winds and rain that is to hit us tomorrow.
Love you
Sondra
Yemassee
August 31

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Remind me not to travel by train.

You know, beyond the humor it's a well written charming poem. It would take very little effort to change a few words and make this a serious one.

Or change a few more and make it a Yemish one.

Why does my mouth feel dry as dust all of a sudden?

I'm not voting but this one should do quite well.
Warrior7
August 31

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This is brilliant Dee, your rhyming is awesome and Ma Catz Barker does it again, on with the heists we go.
Excellent
leo2
August 31

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There is a certain amount of honor amongst thieves and poets...lol...just kidding. A ballad such as this should do well in the contest.

Sincerely,
Leo Long
- catz
  August 31
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  Thanks, Leo. We just came home from two and a half weeks vacation It's a sort of sequel to a previous contest and not a very good write. Thank goodness there's much better in the contest.
  
  Dee