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Sunday, August 21, 2011

Magpie Tales 79: Poem: Maybe if We Hadn't Thrown the Cores


That summer we stuck
in the seats of the old Ford
our cotton clothing
clung to us wet
no one dared crank
the panes-

a few bugs would join
the ride but soon exit
the heat I think drove them
so we didn't

who knew there was
so much Missouri
corn and milo
some tobacco too

I lost count of orchards
stopped off for apples
juice dripping down
the chin- 

hurled the cores
onto the highway
till dad got after us

we saw signs
for real caves
but never stopped


Michael A. Wells

Magpie Tales 79

28 comments:

Tess Kincaid said...

I love the apple juice and the throwing of the cores...the real caves. Charming write, Michael.

Unknown said...

Wonderful ride!

Berowne said...

We both thought of old Fords. Great minds... :-)

Steven Cain said...

When I was old enough to drive, I took myself to several of the 'caves' my father sped past on our family outings. I should have taken his word for it.

Good write.

Laurie Kolp said...

I also love the apple's juice dripping down the chin...

Carrie Van Horn said...

What a fun story in your poem...loved it!

Sue J said...

One of those seemingly endless childhood trips. Nice Magpie.

* said...

Great feel in this, Michael. And the ending was excellent:

"we saw signs
for real caves
but never stopped"

In your slim verse, you capture a feeling with your words that I identify with. Well done.

Jinksy said...

Oo, litterbug! LOL

Andreas said...

A vivid write.

Michael A. Wells said...

Thanks Tess!

Rene - thanks for coming along on the ride!

Berowne - I thought of others but came back to Ford. :)

Steven - sometimes we just have to see for ourselves.

Laurie - Only very tasty apples do that, you know ;)

Thanks Carrie!

Sue - then it captured feel - Thanks!

T - coming from you who I consider to be one of the masters of capturing feel, that means a lot! Thank you!

Jinksy - I'm pretty sure those kids were the REASON for littering laws. ;)

Andreas - Vivid is works... Thanks!

Brian Miller said...

real caves...smiles. yeah dad might have got on us for tossing apple cores too...love all the sights you put in...took me back...

Helen said...

Mr. Missouri Man ... this photo was meant just for you! Nicely done.

Martin said...

These characters knew how to have a good time.

Maude Lynn said...

Great write! I really enjoyed this.

Michael A. Wells said...

Brian.... evidently Missouri cavers invoke great humor. :)

Michael A. Wells said...

Thanks Helen... and I used to argue I'm not much of a geographical poet.

Martin: when you are stuck in an old Ford - pre a/c on a sticky Missouri summer day you make what you can of fun.

Mama Zen - Glad you enjoyed - Tanks for stopping by.

Jenne' R. Andrews said...

Very poignant-- I especially like to see the physical detail in this poem; your imagery carries the meaning so that no explanation is needed...xxxj

Helena said...

Oozes nostalgia.....lovely take!

Friko said...

Not a trip I'd have enjoyed but I enjoyed your recounting of it.

JJ Roa Rodriguez said...

good write!

like it!..

JJRod'z

WyomingDiva said...

I love poems that take me along on the trip!

Michael A. Wells said...

Jen - Don't you hate when poets are asked to explain ;)

Lena... Thanks as I tip toe around the nostalgia. ;)

Friko - thank God for A/C in cars!

JJ - Thanks! Glad you stopped by.

Wyoming D - and you got transported all the way to Missouri on this one. :)

Erratic Thoughts said...

Apple juice and corns, oooh gr8!
It's such a nice ride,Michael...Refreshing write!

robkistner said...

Gawd, the memories this provokes of Sunday drives in dad's '47 Buick...

Susannah said...

Really enjoyed this and absolutely loved...
"we saw signs
for real caves
but never stopped"

Nice one!

Ann Grenier said...

A perfect poem for the prompt I really enjoyed tagging along from beginning to end. You imagery put me right in the car.

christopher said...

Oddly enough for one who has lived all my life on the west coast, I know the area of Missouri around Kansas City well as my mother lived in Lees Summit for years and my sister still lives there.

I have said of the Missouri summer roadsides that nowhere I know on the planet looks like the roadsides in Bangladesh except Missouri. That comes from similar summer weather I suppose, though Bangladesh actually is in monsoon at that time.