by | March 11, 2011 · 8:51 pm
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The Fourth by Melissa McEwen

The men dance with their wives
like they’re head over heels
in love, but it’s the drinking. Boys
with firecrackers that “holy-shit”
and “oh-shit” get off scot-free
because it’s a holiday
and everybody’s easy
and moms act like girls. Tonight
the fireworks will be heard
all the way from downtown,
but sound like they are
right in Aunt Eartha’s backyard
where ‘squitos and flies swarm
amongst us kin and the grill
is still hot and fathers
let young daughters drink
from their booze-filled cups.

.

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14 Comments

Filed under Melissa McEwen

14 responses to “The Fourth by Melissa McEwen”

  1. susan
    March 17, 2011 at 3:19 am

    Really like this, Melissa, you can almost hear the music and the sizzling grill.

    Reply
  2. Michie
    March 17, 2011 at 6:11 am

    Love it! Especially love the holy shittin oh shittin boys with the firecrackers

    Reply
  3. Melissa
    March 17, 2011 at 2:00 pm

    Thanks y’all.

    Reply
  4. len kuntz
    March 18, 2011 at 11:47 am

    wonderful. so evocative. love it.

    Reply
  5. LindaSW
    March 23, 2011 at 6:39 pm

    let’s party! really feel the dancing, the tippsiness. peace…

    Reply
  6. Martin
    March 23, 2011 at 11:59 pm

    Nice piece, simple, down-to-earth and totally realistic. I like the mixture of age, gender and relationships which gives a “whole family” feel. The title fixes the location, but apart from Aunt Eartha’s name, this piece has a universal feel of celebration and excess and could almost be anywhere. Bet it was fun to write as well!

    Reply
    • Missy
      March 26, 2011 at 10:40 am

      Thanks for the detailed review. Love it.

      I coulda left out the Eartha. If I revise it, I might.

      Yeah it was fun to write. Just a silly little poem.

      Reply

  7. Pingback: Week #44 – Crowd | 52|250 A Year of Flash

  8. Robert Vaughan
    March 24, 2011 at 8:02 pm

    You can feel how fun it was to write this, rode on that energy to the end…

    Reply
  9. Michael Parker
    March 25, 2011 at 10:55 pm

    Vivid imagery, sounds, and tastes. I enjoy this slice of Americana on the Fourth. Good job, Melissa.

    Reply
  10. Missy
    March 26, 2011 at 10:43 am

    Thanks Michael.

    I can’t wait for July to come –my favorite month.

    Reply
  11. Missy
    March 26, 2011 at 10:43 am

    Thanks y’all.

    Reply

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