Ok...I've been thinking about it, and one of the most romantic times of my teenage years was on a first or second date with a boy I was head over heels with... I'd had my eye on him for two years since we were camp counselors at the same camp, but never imagined he'd be interested. Until he asked me out. He used to drive his dad's light brown pickup truck, which for some reason I thought made him soooo cool. And he was hot. Smart. And he was interested in me!
So on this one particular evening, we were driving back from who knows where. Most likely dancing. We did a lot of dancing that summer. He drove us downtown, right across from the harbour at Harbourfront, to an abandoned parking lot. Turned off the ignition. Turned on the cassette deck (now I'm REALLY dating myself). We got out, and danced to "November Rain" by Guns & Roses....Funny how perspective changes everything!
first love
harbourlights twinkle across the way
head on your chest
we slow dance
body leaning into each other
your hands fit so nicely
on the small of my back
hoping you won't feel my heart
beating a mile a minute
breathing in your Drakkar
the guitar twang solo
Guns & Roses, November Rain
blares from the cassette deck
of your dad's brown pickup truck
I left the $3.99 cellophaned roses lying
on vynil seats
this empty parking lot
a perfect backdrop for first love
and a night I'll never forget
Ceebie
5 comments:
I love this stanza, it has so many details that personalize the poem for me. Plus, the mention of Drakkar made me laugh, because when I was in high school, it was as if that was the only cologne the boys knew existed:
breathing in your Drakkar
the guitar twang solo
Guns & Roses, November Rain
blares from the cassette deck
of your dad's brown pickup truck
I left the $3.99 cellophaned roses lying
on vynil seats
Such a sweet memory captured in a poem. Great details, like the roses on the seats. I love how poetry sometimes can capture a moment better than a photo.
thanks, guys. I had a blast writing this one, because of the disjunct between the two stanzas: the first one is so romantic. The other one exposes it for what it was: tacky teenage love (though it felt real to me at the time...)
such a great moment captured and I agree about the cologne...it definitely makes me think of high school boys
I used to love that song. This is like middle school all over again for me. Thanks for sharing this.
Post a Comment