A Pantoum: One For Those Who Know Poem by Onareen Ferdinand

It's peaceful in the world today
News negated disaster of any kind;
When reaching for a hot cuppa-
Civilians alerted! Lives are on the line!

6 am news: No disaster of any kind
Lazy starts to the morning thwarted
When alerted that lives are on the line
Take cover behind desks! Manuals won't do!

Mac Donald's breakfast plans thwarted
Food will be rationed soon
Brace yourself for attacks! Manuals won't do!
Run! The first bomb went off in the loo!

Stay calm! Food will be rationed soon
Be brave. She's heading this way
Don't let her know you heard her scream in the loo
Stay connected for updates. We'll get though.

Remember: Fake empathy when she comes your way!
Forget your gender; you'll have no say
Monitor her mood! We'll get through
Seven hours, till she can race to the saloon.

Forget your gender; you'll have no say-
We all sacrificed that hot cuppa!
Her nail polish chipped man! Hold on till five
And there will be peace again today.