I am the roaring twenties
And the cotton club.
I am Al Capone and his
Thugs.
I am the rise of Joseph
Stalin.
I am the age of science
And penicillin.
I am Walt Disney and
Mickey Mouse.
I am electricity in
My house.
I am the stock market
Crash.
I am the first Academy
Award bash.
I am Miss America pageant
The first time.
I am Valentino dies reads
The headlines.
I am the great depression
Sweeps the land.
I am Lindbergh on north
Atlantic flight plan.
I am Betty Crocker and
Wonder bread.
I am the great migration
Watch me spread.
I am speakeasies and Gerber
Baby food.
I am the age of Jazz puts
You in the mood.
I am the woman's right to
Vote ,19th amendment.
I am seven-up, Coca cola's
First resentment.
Turbo1904
Gold dawn came early
Seven bluebirds on rouge skies
rising up in song
Discovery awaited
on lavender streets up high
Cool breezes were caught
on a 7am flight
Green trees fell away
Sunup had soon turned orange
in the season of the sun
Yo-yo's and hula hoops
We all ate our Campbell Soup
Down our stairs went Mr. Slinky
For dessert, Hostess Twinkies
Lucky guys rode ten-speed racers
Drank Seven-up with Kool-Aid Chasers
After school, the Mickey Mouse Club
With TV dinners for our grub
The '50's seem so innocent now
Can we get them back somehow?
Perfect
You think you’re doing it all right
with these beautiful, perfect kids.
Down at seven, up at eight,
kale chips and apple slices,
(no added sugar), Mozart and Bach,
organic cotton onesies, SPF 100,
ponytails and bows.
Suddenly it’s all over,
and you realize, ,
you could have served them cotton candy pie,
filled their bottles with chocolate,
you should have left the soles of their feet black,
their curls thick and matted.
How could you know all they needed was you,
with a clear eye and a strong heart
and a wish to be brave?
The Punchbowl
Twelve cups, prominently placed around the lovely, antique bowl.
A graceful and elegant occasion set.
A celebration of birth, life, wedding, anniversary, death and heaven.
Floating inside, orange ice-cream, clear seven up?, maybe…
Pieces of strawberries, whole raspberries and slices, rings of hot candy.
Life is full of traditions, and some are so overlooked.
Gathering together, talking, sharing and loving one another.
Twelve cups, prominently placed around a lovely, antique bowl.
12 disciples surround Our Lord, with prayer.
The giver of all things important, lifted up with every glass.
Cheerful holiday greetings, occasions that make us remember,
“we” are family.
Seven-Up Christian
Where did you leave faith or let go?
Do not hide or flee its crazy, whoa!
There’s one able to fix do not quit
prayer is the key to open the kit.
Your Bible its time to look inside
let it open your eyes it will guide!
It gives one no time for an alibi!
A letter from God to you it tells no lie.
Are you there sampling the bait of sin
like those in church but sin is within.
Why are you pretending it’s not the cure?
The hypocrites nibble at Satan’s lure
act one way and live another not rare
Satan means to hook do let it scare!
Stop the nonsense you know it's wrong.
Never play with sin be wise don’t go along!
By Deborah Ann Russell
The Two Nation America
It was in Huston some years ago my ship was being repaired,
it was a dry ship – no alcohol allowed- its skipper was teetotal
we had to be too, petty tyranny. I walked ashore to liquor store.
It was a poor district where roads and pavements had been
neglected. Factories closed down, no point spending money on
people who didn’t work. I felt nervous by those leering black faces
thought they were ready to rob me and steal my booze.
The store a place, young men grouped, seeing me going in made
acid remarks about my whiteness, they made grunting noses.
To ask for wine was a waste of time, bourbon and beer, I bought
four bottles of vodka and a bottle of seven up to dispel the idea
I came here for thr booze alone. Coming out of the store I saw a blue
lettered bar across the road it had air-condition, I had a beer and
later many more. Then it was dawn time to go on board.
a cruising patrol car stopped, to tell me I was lucky to be alive, yet
I had four bottles of vodka in a bag; and yes, a bottle coca cola too.
water with sparkle
my un cola memories
a Seven Up kid
There are twenty-seven of them
I count every time
I am forced to climb
either up or down.
Twenty-seven in each direction.
Twenty-seven times the hairs
ripple along my neck.
Twenty-seven creaking, squeaking,
moaning and groaning steps.
Twenty-seven down
to the basement door.
Twenty-seven up
to the living room floor.
Twenty-seven
chances to fall
twenty-seven bounces
just like a ball.
Twenty-seven cries
within my mind.
Twenty-seven times
I feel muscles bind.
Twenty-seven breaths
I cannot take.
Twenty-seven crashes
I pray not to make.
Twenty-seven steps
and them I run free.
The twenty-seven STEPS
no longer hold me!