In the poem “Freight Train”, Billy narrates the poem, telling us about his search for a way to escape from his life as he searches for a ride. This poem is positioned near the start of the text, after Billy decides to leaves his home, as he gets away from his abusive father. This poems allows Billy to feel a true sense of relief for the first time in a long time as he no longer has to worry about his father or school, which were two things that stressed him.
The poem starts in past tense and finishes in present tense, opening with the line “Not one car has passed in the last twenty minutes.” This shows how lonely and isolated Billy is for a way out. As this is in past tense, it has a more powerful effect on the reader, compared to if it was “No cars are passing”. This line also shows how Billy is a bit desperate for a way out, away from his dad, and away from his old school.
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Multiple times, Billy describes things in good detail, which helps with visualising what’s happening, such as when he says “I race across the highway, bag swinging” and “Aquadream Speedboat with the soft padded bench set , the Evinrude outboard motor and the fishing gear”. These three lines make it like the reader is there with Billy and seeing the items as well, as it peaks to your sense of sight and touch. Without these lines, the poem would not be as impactful as it would be slightly dulling the connection between the reader and