Dreamboat

Two perspectives. See if you can distinguish A and B; C is the same in both.

A summer’s afternoon:

Sunshine and a cool breeze gracing bare legs,

Surrounded by daisies and the odd dandelion

Against the picture perfect backdrop of Chiswick House.

 

I hear the odd whir of traffic passing the park entrance

But only when Glenn Miller fades and Artie Shaw begins.

 

< Starting to feel warmth through the shimmering silhouettes >

 

Rumours are flying and I sink into a nostalgic memory of déjà-vu:

A war nurse enjoying her day off from Britain’s politics with the world

Red toenails, freshly painted lips and gazing into the distance,

Thinking of her soldier who speaks French like a dream.

 

As she hums, a pair of grey squirrels pause to watch her:

A petticoat without her dreamboat,

Even if the swirly frill of her 40s tea dress softly flatters her thighs.

 

As that cool breeze pushes its way through bulrushes and giant oak trees,

A family of coots climb out of the water, shaking themselves off

- little droplets of water on their newborn feathers.

 

The very thought of you and I forget to do

The little ordinary things that everyone ought to do

Al's vocals caress the beautiful melody line taking her to another place;

Tous les chemins me rament vers toi…

Dancing with her four-lettered friend in the moonlight by the river

On the smooth paving stones near Tower Bridge.

 

Wish I could hold your hand,

Walk with you through an open field on this summer’s evenings

Smiling to look at you and giggling as you smile back at me.

 

She starts to sway to the Ink Spots,

Imagining her lover’s arm around her shoulders - her head nestled in his,

All the while treasuring his scent, savouring each second of security and fidelity.

 

< I finger the petals of a daisy

Wishing I had the nimble fingers of Mother Nature to make a chain >

 

Lover man, oh where can you be?

And I wonder if you think of me, even just a little?

You are shy as am I…

 

The sun creeps through one of those tall oak trees,

And through my sunglasses I can see tiny beams of rainbow light,

Guiding my thoughts from pen to paper.

 

*FLASH ~ BAM ~ ALAKAZAM*

Lips meet

Tongues introduce

Breath is exchanged

Hands grace cheeks

Passion is served with a spoonful of intensive care.

 

< Toes wiggle as the sun slips down its crystal canopy

How much we long for one of those Moonlight Cocktails right about now >

 

With you I lose myself.

Without you I find myself wanting to be lost again.

 

Je ne suis plus toute seule quand je pense à toi.

 

< The guise of sunset glints on my pewter sandals as this story comes to an end;

Can he ever see me as more than a friend? >

Reviews

[R J Askew]

The sense of presence and summery wistfulness your conjour up through absolutely wonderful observational dabs is delightful. You set the scene perfectly. I esp like the first 1/3 of the poem with it's nostalgic love ponderings. And then you nail down the yearnings of the here and now. There is romance and reality in play. You serve up an equally acute observation of your own state of yearning and the various ways in which it manifests itself, mirroring your living needs. A great read with depth and variety. The execution is also engaging and entertaining. You have the skill to nail down in words that which others experience, but are less precise about and unable to communicate.

[sconzey]

Nice; I like the use of font and case. The prose is soft and evocative.

[Christopher Michael Smi..]

Thank you for sharing this piece. You painted a beautiful portrait in my mind's eye of the illustration you were scripting to illuminate. Great flow as well.

[Angel's Lady]

Shazam! I love this! You paint such pictures with your words!

With you I lose myself.
Without you I find myself wanting to be lost again. - So many wonderful lines and I do love this one!