We were too stupidly gaw-gaw, and too young, to realize what a miracle we were living. Thank the heavens for the memories of that beautiful, righteous chaos!
“The Whitehouse Diner” by Aaron Segreaves
Joe’s diner
any friday night
after the football game
young legs
carry firm eager bodies
mingling ‘mongst the booths
laughter bursting
pulses racing
fantasies entwining
dreamy babes
handsome hunks
young lust
hot as the fry top
broiling
‘midst the milkshakes
and hot slathered burgers
craving
yet hesitant
swept up in innocent bliss
basking in the jukebox glow
throbbing with the big beat
of scorching rock ‘n roll
creamy cake
jake
the scene
smoldering for some
longing for more
confusing for most
a pubescent play
caught in a neon magic spell
sparking with awkward carnality
when a kiss
and fleshy fondle
was euphoric
autumn’s chill outside
passion’s flames inside
humid as our urgent embraces
hot as our stolen kisses
as forever as our promised love
in that distant
sizzling
teenage midnight…
…sweet ghosts of my youth
haunt from long ago
*
rob kistner © 2022
Poetry at: The Sunday Muse
Poetry at: Poets & Storytellers
~ Joe’s Diner’s top 20 jukebox selections ~
https://youtu.be/SxtvDbleWxY
https://youtu.be/ZofOHdlLwiw
Such lively descriptions of a place that was jumpin.
Glad you felt the beat Lisa. We had a place like I described two blocks from my high school, where we’d hang as soon as I got out of the showers and dressed after the Friday night games. Steaming! Tssss!
You have captured the memory and set it before us like it was yesterday. Great to see you Rob. Have a good week.
Thanks Sherry! For me it was the first of my yesterday’s. 🙂
I’ll have doo-wop on toast, with a side of Motown!
Maybe wash it down with a little ram-a-lam-a root beer… 😉
don’t kill me, but when I first read this line:
I thought you had written “‘mongst the boobs“????????????
No upset David. At 16, it was the boobs — the booths didn’t mean a thing to me… 😉
Breathless, you took us to the Diner jukebox! Oh, oh .. the memories of coins dropped into a slot that gifted us the songs, the dances, the petting we remember ~~ fondly.
So glad I could take you back to the exhilarating, hungry innocence! I am right there with you Helen — the ‘til we die’ friendships, the freedom, the confusion, the joy, the pure secreted pleasure! I loved it. The blissful naiveté disappears as one ages. Like they say in the song Toyland, “Once you pass these borders, you can ne’er return again”! But hopping into my ‘57 Chevy convertible, packin’ it with excited eager guys and gals, my wonderful friends, cruisin’ through that teenage wonderland — was glorious. A time when a kiss and fleshy fondle was euphoric. Those were the days of my youth, when after the summer sun went down, my band would take the stage under a humid, starry Ohio night sky… and rock out — hard! When nothing hurt, ‘cept an occasional broken puppy-dog heart. We were too stupidly gaw-gaw, and too young, to realize what a miracle we were living. Thank the heavens for the memories of that beautiful, righteous chaos!
“caught in a neon magic spell
sparking with awkward carnality”
Your images wrought so well immerse us in the scene.
Have a good Sunday
Much????love
Thank you, and much love to you my friend. 🙂
Your scene and atmosphere painting is just brilliant Rob – so vivid. Is it because there’s no punctuation that it just flows? Loved it.
Thank you Marion, I am grateful that you liked this piece! 🙂 Punctuation just isn’t my style friend, nor is capitalization, save for the first letter of the first word (and in color). Too cluttering in poetry I feel. 😉 For years now it’s been centering and line breaks for me my friend, with an occasional bold or italic. I feel it gives the poem interesting shape.
You took us there. Rob! Loved the musical journey as well. For my highschool days it was the little drug store fountain, where the root beer floats were to die for! Enjoyed the musical jukebox tour, as well. Strangely, there’s a similar diner not far from where I live, but alas it’s a hangout for over-the-hill seniors!!
Glad you came with me Bev! 😉 I feel in our mid 20th century youth, there was a “joint” like that somewhere nearby.
Those high school gatherings…
The young think we were born senior, but we had our youth.
They can get an impression here.
You got it Syl, the young will be old, and the old will always be young.
Oh my, those teenage years!
Glorious misery and fantastic frustration Rosemary… 😉
Your Joe’s Diner playlist is a perfect match for this piece.
I am so glad it resonates for you JYP.
“sweet ghosts of my youth”
Yes indeed! I remember them all. Thanks so much for posting these photos of the past, and my past.
You’re so welcome Sara! 🙂