I ... entered the poem of life, whose purpose is ... simply to witness the beauties of the world, to discover the many forms that love can take. (Barabara Blackman in 'Glass After Glass')

These poems are works in progress and may be updated without notice. Nevertheless copyright applies to all writings here and all photos (which are either my own or used with permission). Thank you for your comments. I read and appreciate them all, and reply here to specific points that seem to need it — or as I have the leisure. Otherwise I reciprocate by reading and commenting on your blog posts as much as possible.

29 May 2015

Chubby Checker and Me and the First Husband
















On YouTube
his bright face
still radiates delight.
And so it should:
the young face
caught in 1961

calling us all
to join him
in the dance —
as we did
all that summer,
again and again.

But my face
in the mirror,
that grew old.
No longer do
knees and ankles
swing and oscillate

as they did
that last summer.
Round and round
my memories go
again. And again,
back 50 years.

Tell me how
you loved me
so — and now
so long ago.
I know that
dance is past.

Oh dancing man,
oh gambling man,
I twisted away
to go again
far and far
away from summer

from your silver
cups and medals,
all those bands,
those Saturday nights.
All the twistings
of my life.

Where did you
go? I know
you're not alive.
Ghosts and memories ...
one more time 
let's twist again!
Click here for Chubby Checker singing Let's Twist Again


At 'imaginary garden with real toads' we are invited to have a party of one — to groove enthusiastically to our favourite dance number, then write whatever comes to mind afterwards.
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13 comments:

  1. De Jackson30 May 2015 at 01:25

    Oh! This line hit me in the gut: "I twisted away"
    This is a great piece.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Kerry O'Connor30 May 2015 at 01:32

    There is a bitter sweet nostalgia to the piece that could not have been replicated unless it was lived.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Sanaa Rizvi30 May 2015 at 01:49

    I loved the nostalgia in this poem :D
    It's always a delight to relive the past and rejoice in its memories! A fabulous piece! :D

    Lots of love,
    Sanaa

    ReplyDelete
  4. Susan30 May 2015 at 02:28

    Oh, you raise me up! Again and again.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Anonymous30 May 2015 at 03:29

    one more time
    let's twist again!.......... Oh, yes.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Sherry Blue Sky30 May 2015 at 06:03

    You took me right back there - how we danced! How we dreamed! and now we're "far and far away from summer." So beautifully evocative, my friend.

    ReplyDelete
  7. brudberg30 May 2015 at 06:19

    Oh 1961.. that's when I was born.. what a glorious memory of those years past.. Already the title invites nostalgia (and I danced to it 20 years later... )

    ReplyDelete
  8. Hannah30 May 2015 at 06:46

    There's a palpable longing to this...beautifully written, Rosemary.

    ReplyDelete
  9. rallentanda30 May 2015 at 12:52

    A lovely nostalgic poem. Enjoyed this a lot.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Isadora Gruye31 May 2015 at 01:59

    I really enjoyed you take on the challenge. True, this is a bittersweet poem, and it is done very well. Thanks for posting to the out of standard.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Rosemary Nissen-Wade31 May 2015 at 08:30

      I didn't try to reproduce his rhythm, but the three words per line sort of alludes to it and seems to work.

      Delete
  11. C.C.31 May 2015 at 02:48

    "I know that dance is past" says so very much. Wow. What a powerful poem.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Marian1 June 2015 at 01:09

    Love this, Rosemary! I had his Twist Party record. Really great... and I feel you in this piece. Wonderful!

    ReplyDelete

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