Pretty brick-a-brack on the old shack
across the porch all the way to the back
delighting Zack who has a design knack
next to the door was a fire place plaque
I looks like rickrack said my cousin Mack
There was no slack, or any décor lack
The fine snack served seemed a bit out of whack
I kept one of these chocolate cakes in my knapsack
the seventies is my go-to decade
for it is when I was my cutest
and my three daughters were born
I looked terrific in my bell bottom jeans
the edge of them had rickrack and lace
I embroidered a happy face and flowers on her pockets
my go-to vest was loaded with fringe
I wore my hair long and messy; I felt wild and free
the music of the seventies was anti-war
Folk music of the Mamas and Papas
The Carol Burnett Show was marvelous
As was Barney Fife on Andy Griffith
Women did not have to wear make up
We could burn our bras, and we did
Helen Reddy wrote and sang “I am Woman”
It was a powerful time for us, especially me.
great grandma Suzette loved cows,
her house was decorated in a variety of bovines.
Jersey cows, milk cows, angus cows, dairy cows,
her living room was filled with cows, bulls, horns and cowbells.
grandma Suzette would take her favorites aside one at a time
and promise us her favorite cow pillow.
she promised it to two cousins, Aunt Linda,
Linda’s son and one grandson-in-law.
we all promised to take care of it.
we pretended we would be thrilled to receive it.
It had blue rickrack around the outside and was one of a kind.
I am pretty sure one of her relatives made it.
when she left this earth, she ended up taking it with her.
we put it into her coffin, it seemed fitting.
We upgraded the seventies happy face she said.
I was horrified, because I liked it the way it was.
My flexibility extends to almost everything except 70’s stuff
I want my lava lamps to be fat and floaty
On a silver base, that is rough, not polished
I want my bell bottoms to have ruffles and rickrack
I want embroidery down the legs of my jeans
I want to drive a car with fat daisies painted on it
And I want the seventies happy face to stay the same
I am persnickety about almost nothing else,
But the seventies are sacred to me.
When we see the ww’s we think different things.
Some of us see wrestlers. Others visualize internet sites.
What about zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz zzzz s.
when you see zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzs do you think of rickrack?
Or is that an old fashioned trim that is no longer visualized at all?
Maybe you see the zzzzzzzzzzzz s and think snake.
I have seen that pattern on one, who was curled up in my garden.
When I see w’s, I see witches, warnings, wariness, and waywardness.
Poets have a way of seeing things that others cannot.
This is why I guess I will be a poet now.
Days start
The bee likes to chase a chicken, hen
Especially one that's in the rickrack bend
As love shudders at the scary flowers
Nature animals leave running from the meteor shower
Days end
DOOMSDAY
6/13/19
written words by James Edward Lee Sr. 2019©
At three, I was so amazing, but I was not a me.
I was a "Thee".
I have an identical twin, so we were one.
The Stone Twins.
Hey, twin!
Which one are you?
We did not care.
We had lots of attention,
and we wore the same clothes,
all home-made by our mother who liked
to throw in ribbons, lace, and rickrack, we had white collars usually
All of my memories are of Sunday School
where the older children, the big bad six and seven
year olds, and sometimes eight and nine year olds
used to fight over us, and carry us around, and talk
about how cute we were until we got squirmy and
pinched them or punched them, so we could play
with the stuff in the play kitchen area.
They are so cute!
They are darling!
Lucille's girls!
Look how DARLING they are!
Did your Mommy make your dresses?
We did not stop playing, but we heard, and we loved it.
Attention came from every direction, insuring me that
I was AMAZING, the cutest thing ever, the most darling
of the darlings.
We were a thee, and were all that, believe you!
Toothpaste
soap
candles
Matches
three dimes
small yellow rubber ducky
Dog treats
diet pills
red, white and blue buttons,
assortment of threads
rickrack
scotch tape
needles
missing bracelet
pincushion
measuring tape
Nails
stickers
temporary tattoos
Sewing box gone wild
Artfully arranged articles:
Books beside bedding,
Clocks, camera, china cups clinking,
Dishes, decanters, dining damask,
Electronics
Facing ferns,
Gardening gear. Gaudy
Handwoven hats hide
Inkstained
Jute. Junk jewelry,
Kitchenware, kite kits,
Linens laying lopsided.
Marbles, magazines, menswear,
Nice needlework, necklaces,
Ornaments,
Pots, pans, pretty plants put parallel.
Quality quite
Reasonable. Rickrack, ribbons,
Sewing sack spilling
Thread, thimbles. Toys
Underneath umbrellas.
Video variety
Waiting watchers.
Xylophone
Yields
Zing.
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