Thursday, December 20, 2007

Totally Optional Prompt: You're listening to the radio

Totally Optional Prompt: Keep right except to pass

Today during Journal Writing in block 3, I gave my kids the prompt: You’re listening to the radio. I decided to write to this prompt, too, since I’d tried to write to the TOP during blocks 1 and 2 but nothing was happening. Wouldn’t you know, the minute I stopped trying…
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You’re Listening to the Radio

It’s a transistor radio
propped up
on the dashboard
of your family’s
1964 Ford station wagon.

“Hang on Sloopy” is playing
and your mother asks,
“Is he saying, ‘hang on stupid’?"

Mothers! you are thinking.
You are fifteen,
your mother doesn’t want
you dating yet,
or kissing, even.

You glare at her
as if she has just said
the dumbest thing.

She turns her head
and looks out the window

as your superior smile
slides right by her.

7 comments:

Andy Sewina said...

I love poems like this, it feels like a stolen moment of time.

Tumblewords: said...

Arggh. It just happens, doesn't it? Great slice of time.

sister AE said...

"as your superior smile
slides right by her"

terrific

sister AE at
Having Writ

paisley said...

what a trip down memory lane this is... thank you!!!!

Anonymous said...

I loved it! It took me back on time!

repainted pathways

Jo said...

Love this, Linda and totally agree with Andy, a stolen piece of time.

Anonymous said...

Very well done. And, things I 'mis-hear' often become the core of the next poem.

Linda's Poems