First time I saw her,
late sixties Washington,
Georgetown saloon after dark
where White House aides,
Congress, Foggy Bottom diplomats, and
lobbies traded drinks and tales
with neighborhood topers
and hell raisers.
She at the piano bar,
flanked by three far to the right
of center machomales hooting,
howling two-bit dogma,
ridiculing her reasoned (I thought)
points of view on something
to do with the socioeconomic themes
of the day, or maybe
what it was was football.
I at a nearby table,
set against a wall of upside down
fleur-de-lis, liking the way her hair
danced around her animated face,
liking the music in the way she moved,
liking the funny way she laughed--
she laughed a lot.
She was holding the fort,
but beginning to fade, when
I thought it time for heavy artillery.
I marched to the bar
in a relatively sober stride
and together, she and I, marshaled
the wisdom of our liberal fathers
and mothers, and
drove the macho boys
into ignominious retreat.
Later that night,
accompanied by a piano man
missing three fingers on his right hand,
she sang an upbeat version
of All of Me,
shaking her silk mini dress
in my favorite purple
that ran out of silk
three inches above the knees.
When the song was sung,
she wrapped herself in her arms,
threw back her head and cried,
Take all of me,
Take it all.
© Gene Williamson
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set against a wall of upside down
fleur-de-lis, liking the way her hair
danced around her animated face,
liking the music in the way she moved,
liking the funny way she laughed--
she laughed a lot."
You are a music man, your words are music to the ears
I haven't had a brew pop since January....time for me to go out & get a 12 pack today :) hic hic
I Loved Your Poem! What fun, and yes took me to some of my memories of patronage to my local "tavern" I don't care for clubs, I like a real bar (excluding the brawls of course) where is the kareoke book? lol
Embraced ~ Embrassé
Vickie
on Nancy with the laughing face..."
Frank sang it, you write it - a happenstance to remember; both equally enchanting, Gene.
Blessings ~~ Micke
(who's glad you retrieved your hat :o)
ness
Warmly,
Sage