by Mary Lou Taylor, Santa Clara County Branch, CA
Fifties Girl
How did I miss it? I was there
heard the music read the papers
watched TV Elvis James Dean “Howl”
I missed them all missed the trends what was I?
obtuse dense dull? did the twist but only because I was hired
as a movie extra and I pick up on dancing fast. I stayed innocent
lived free of guile hard roads? freedom? they didn’t concern me
I was vaguely aware of Bob Dylan I knew the Beach Boys intimately
I was after all a California girl from the ‘50s I remember Elizabeth Taylor
at my UCLA Junior Prom Bud Murphy jumping from Royce Hall tower
Jimmy Durante and Bob Hope on campus Ernie Kovacs my wedding hat
bottles and diapers “Mr. Sandman” Johnny in Carson’s Cellar when Dylan
went electric I missed it when everything was up for grabs I missed it
missed rock ‘n roll “We Shall overcome” all that underground music
Janis Joplin Jimi Hendrix all that pain where was I?
came to 1970 and the decade was over I was
a fifties girl the nearest I came to giving
a thought to what was going on
in the world was when we lived
on Andrews Air Force base
and I could see the Enola Gay
from my upstairs window
Cool, Mary Lou or should I say cool Marry Lou! Love the pacing and flow down the page like s dance, the honesty and as others remark, the concrete images. Wonderful to have it in front is so many eyes and ❤️S
Congratulations! Mary Lou. Love your poem, the flow, the images, sincerity, wit, cultural references and more. Keep on writing!
Thanks for sharing the memories of what took place when I was a child.
VERY NICE POEM
LOTS OF IMAGERY ENTWINED WITH
GOLDEN MEMORIES.
Beautiful imagery, and a sentiment shared by many– I missed it. Powerful.
This is exquisitely crafted, Mary Lou. The last six lines, in particular, carried such an impact, and
when you referenced the Enola Gay, I’m sure all your readers held their breath for an instant.
Brava…
Great poem and it touched my ❤.
I share a similar sentiment and have often wondered where was I? Thanks for your creativity
I actually loved every word. Brought back so many memories. Wearing my saddle oxfords with my angora socks. It is a wonderful poem