1986
Rim my eyes
Coal.
Red lips
Break up the
Black.
Like Siouxsie
And the Banshees.
Tromp in my
Combat boots
To
Washington
Square Park—
Grit and
Weed wafting in the air.
Pass by CBGB.
Once met
Someone
Whose nose was
Broken
There, moshing.
I wear virgin Dr. Martens.
I’m a suburban-
Punk girl
Sniffing incense
In Time Square,
Buying Bauhaus
Records
In The Village.
Combing clothes at
Second hand shops.
Score cheap food—
Pizza or food truck?
Skip the
Subway
To conserve
Cash.
Dwindles to coins.
The homeless
Scream
In Penn Station.
I stand on the
Platform.
Stare at the billboard.
Molly Ringwald’s newest.
Isn’t she
Pretty in Pink?
Pictures of Manhattan in the 1970s and 80s:
Happy New Year!
xo,
Theresa
like the story and freedom style !
ReplyDeleteThanks, Sandra!
DeleteThis is so fabulous. Love it!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Jessica. It was fun to write!
DeleteI LOVED it!!!!! I think you need to try and write an entire novel in verse...this was amazing!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Sharon! I've tried a couple of times, but I've abandoned both projects. Maybe I should take another look....
DeleteAh yes, an interesting time...
ReplyDeleteLiz, there was good and not-so-good. I think I would liked being a teen in the 90s much better.
DeleteT, this was absolutely amazing. But I expect no less from your writing whether it be poetry or novels. Knowing you has blessed me in more ways than one. I agree with Mayhew. xoxo
ReplyDeleteRobyn, I know how hard you've been working on poetry, so I take it as a big compliment. Thank you!
DeleteA very good year!
ReplyDeleteMaria, I agree!
DeleteWho would have thought Molly R would go on to be such a serious GuardianUK journalist , and that Aimee Mann would be all grown up !
ReplyDeleteCheers
Kutamun, ha, yes, Molly R surprised us all.
DeleteHi Theresa ... so much imagined in a few words ... enhanced with the rouge and carmine ... those heavy boots I'm not a fan of - but I bet they're comfortable ... wonderful imagery .. Happy New Year to you and the family .. and here's to a good year ahead - Hilary
ReplyDeleteHilary, the boots are heavy! I have 2 pairs of Dr. Martens, but they're lighter than my original pair.
DeleteYou took me back in time. I miss the 80s, although I didn't care for all the fashion. I grew up in Manhattan in the 70s and 80s, so I'll check out the link.
ReplyDeleteMedeia, I didn't like the regular fashion or the hair back then. I grew up in NYC and Long Island during that time. Wonder if our paths ever crossed.
DeleteLoved this.. Brings me back to an era in time!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Anne. Glad I brought you back.
DeleteThis is *most* excellent, Theresa! Truly. Is it new or did you write it back in 1986? I'm impressed, girl, thanks for sharing! Happy New Year! xoxo
ReplyDeleteKimberley, while it may sound like I wrote it back then, I didn't have the depth to realize my own hypocrisy at the time. :)
ReplyDeleteLove the scene you have painted ... takes me back in time :-)
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear it, Amrit.
DeleteOh and this fits with national poetry month! Great poem you eighties chick you.
ReplyDeleteMichael, I was so an 80s chick!
DeleteOkay, love this beyond LUV! And you know me, so you know that's a ton.
ReplyDeleteSA, that means a lot! Thank you!
DeleteLoved this! You are so talented! What a great poem! I, btw, graduated from high school in 1986. Pretty in Pink! Totally brings me back.
ReplyDeleteDawn, I didn't graduate too many years after you did. I loved those John Hughes movies!
DeleteAww. I was an 80s teen too. Loved Siouxsie and the banshees AND pretty in pink. I still listen to 80s music all the time. There was something magical about that era...or maybe it just seems so because we were young and everything was exciting...
ReplyDeleteHappy new year!
LR, I still listen to 80s alt. In fact, I listen to modern alt music. In that way, I never grew up!
DeleteI love the 80s, and I love the imagery in this even more!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Julie!
DeleteHappy new year!
ReplyDeleteI'm still upset I never got to see CBGB before it closed...
Deniz, I was sad and surprised that it closed. Wish I could've seen their final concert.
DeleteHappy 2015!! (Busy woman.) Man, the 80's were great...minus the style. We live and we learn, eh? (Seriously, what was with the hair in the 80's? *gag*)
ReplyDeleteCrystal, my early teen pictures made me cringe. The punk look I had later was much better! :)
DeleteLOL! I'd love to see some of those pictures. Thankfully I was lazy, so most my styles were pretty conservative.
DeleteI'll have to dig up a picture.
DeleteTheresa - back to say I read your comment on my blog post and wondered if you'll be at the NESCBWI this year?! I'm planning to go! We should meet up if you'll be there too!
ReplyDeleteJulie, sadly, I don't think I can. It's my final grad school semester. I'm taking 2 classes + I'm student teaching in my job. The conference is the last weekend before the semester ends. It would be suicide! But I haven't decided for sure.
DeleteLove this Theresa. I was in college by then, interesting I just wrote an article about something I did in 1986. Will link it to my blog next week. I've been taking a break from writing and blogging, but back now, part time ish anyway. Hope all good with you and your family:)
ReplyDeleteBy the way, your poem would make a great song, know anyone who could set it to music? The eighties are on trend now.
Brigid, what a coincidence that you were writing about that time too.
DeleteWe're all good and busy here. I'll send you an email soon, so we can catch up. It's been too long!
I don't know if anyone would want to set it to music. That's a cool idea! I'll have to think about it.
I love this! Makes me feel like I'm back in the eighties (though in a much trendier way than I actually went through that decade the first time.)
ReplyDeleteCaryn, it all sounds much cooler on (virtual) paper. It was hard not to walk around looking tragic in the 1980s.
DeleteAh the 80's. They were something, weren't they? You poem and your picture were a perfect match and great to read and see.
ReplyDeleteCleemckenzie, thanks so much for the feedback.
DeleteYes, those 80s were something.
Ah, the 80s, such wonderful memories!
ReplyDeleteBrilliant and nostalgic. Love it!
ReplyDelete