The turquoise pool rose up to meet us
Its slide a silver afterthought down which
We plunged, screaming, into a mirage of bubbles
We did not exist beyond the gaze of a boy
Shaking water off our limbs, we lifted
Up from ladder rungs across the fern-cool
Lip of rim. Afternoon. Oiled and sated
We sunbathed, rose and paraded the concrete
Danced to the low beat of "Duke of Earl"
Past cherry colas, hot-dogs, Dreamsicles
We came to the counter where bees staggered
Into root beer cups and drowned. We gobbled
Cotton candy torches, sweet as furtive kisses
Shared on benches beneath summer shadows
Cherry. Elm. Sycamore. We spread our chenille
Blankets across grass, pressed radios to our ears
Mouthing the old words, then loosened
Thin bikini straps and rubbed baby oil with iodine
Across sunburned shoulders, tossing a glance
Through the chain link at an improbable world
Its slide a silver afterthought down which
We plunged, screaming, into a mirage of bubbles
We did not exist beyond the gaze of a boy
Shaking water off our limbs, we lifted
Up from ladder rungs across the fern-cool
Lip of rim. Afternoon. Oiled and sated
We sunbathed, rose and paraded the concrete
Danced to the low beat of "Duke of Earl"
Past cherry colas, hot-dogs, Dreamsicles
We came to the counter where bees staggered
Into root beer cups and drowned. We gobbled
Cotton candy torches, sweet as furtive kisses
Shared on benches beneath summer shadows
Cherry. Elm. Sycamore. We spread our chenille
Blankets across grass, pressed radios to our ears
Mouthing the old words, then loosened
Thin bikini straps and rubbed baby oil with iodine
Across sunburned shoulders, tossing a glance
Through the chain link at an improbable world
( Geraldine Connolly )
www.ChordsAZ.com