Poem: What I Remember

What I Remember

bout Rock Creek, West Virginia

in the summer, late 1940’s

is a porch-sittin of an ev’nin

wi Mamaw an Papaw,

aints, uncles, cousins,

neighbors a comin by

an ere’s talk a trucks

runnin good or broke down

an how to fix em,

corn knee high by

the Fourth of July

grinnin n laughin

teasin n singin

Papaw a blowin into

his ol pitchpipe “do so mi do”

women a harmonizin

an men a playin spoons

an clackin bones

Mamaw a stringin beans or

servin up sweet tea or lem’nade

us kids a playin un’er

‘at big ol weepin willah tree

or a swingin on ‘at air arn gate

an a sneakin gooseburries

a growin on at ol wahr fence

grinnin n laughin

teasin n singin

till Papaw‘d say,

“You younguns git up

onna porch now—

snakes’ll be comin’ out!”

Oh, the heart-poundin thrill

a sneakin down them steps

one

at

a

time

then a racin out into

at ere snake-infested yard

an back agin fast as yer legs’d go,

laughin n squealin like li’l piggies

Later, hauled up inta somebody’s lap

an lulled by the swayin

of a glider or a rockin cheer,

last a the sun a disappearin

behind the hills,

skeeters an moths

drawn ta the porch light,

moon-lit Creek down b’low

water a rushin over rocks,

night songs uh the katydids

an crickets an folks’ voices

all a comin together

in a low hum

softer an fainter alla while 

yawnin an’ fightin

to

stay

awake

                                                                             

                                            by  Jeannie D’Aurora