Summer is upon us! School is out, the kids are home, the days are longer and the sun shines brighter. As a child, I always loved summer. I spent many a summer day and night at my grandmother's house in Louisville, Kentucky. Me and my 2 cousins... staying up late hanging out on the front porch. Today, I offer up a poem with a REAL twist on my summer memories. Enjoy!
Summer Lies
Copyright 2007
Summer lies.
It promises lazy responsibility free days
Chasing the ice cream truck 3 blocks to get Momma a toasted almond bar
Juicy slices of fresh red watermelon... seed spittin contests
Cousin CeCe with the gap 'tween her two front teeth always won
Running barefoot in the grass
Picking white dandelions ... blowing them in the wind
Cannon balls into the community pool
Cold cans of strawberry soda from the ice cooler at JoJo's corner store
Juneteenth Bar-B-Que at Granny's...
ribs, corn on the cob, potato salad and Aunt Maime's caramel cake
Fourth of July fireworks at Chickasaw Park
Summer lies... cause I got none of this.
No Rocky Road ice cream drippin down my chin staining my crisp white halter top
No Soul Train line and Electric Slide at the family reunion
No corny jokes from Uncle Bunny or magic quarters from behind Grandaddy's ear
No pajama parties and midnight refrigerator raids with sneaky cousins
No lightening bugs in glass Miracle Whip jars
No moped rides from light skinned boys with Jheri curls
The truth of summer...
Sweltering, humid days
Aunt Lilly sweating out her press and curl
Fans in the window sill blowing hot air and dust
Mosquitoes bites the size of plums itching like crazy
Drinking Flavor Aid instead of Kool-Aid cause Winn Dixie had a sale
Supergirl Underoos when I begged for Wonder Woman
Two French braids instead of cornrows with colorful beads on the ends
Lil Sis christening our twin bed with warm urine every other night
Daddy walking out the door and never coming back
Momma taking up residence in her green terry cloth robe
Her eyes a running faucet of tears
Luther on the turntable singing "A house is not a home..."
Luther tells the truth,
but summer lies.
Tina,,,
ReplyDeletethis by far sis is my favorite that you have written so far. Amazing..
Luther tells the truth but summer lies...LOVE IT!