Vanilla Advances

Vanilla Advances

 

 

root beer floats

and pigtails tugged

garnering frowns

then smiles

teasing glances

from bar stools

outside his eyes against the glass

a young rush

of heartbeats

 

she feels a brain freeze

the love freeze

 

she wishes he would enter her world

but he moves on down the street

combing his greaser's locks

in triumph

 

the sidewalk bandit

only 13 years old,

future hearts to melt

as the root beer

gradually loses its fizz

 

and she lays her quarter on the counter

the rest of her life

a "what if?"

 

 

 

 

erin-cilberto

10/8/23

Reviews

[M]

I came to realise not too many years back that those sometimes cruel boys from my childhood days who taunted me and called me names and sometimes pulled my hair for fun, may actually have done all that because of a crush rather than out of spite. It was probably cooler to prank me this way than open up honestly. So maybe they are looking back on those days now and wondering what may have occurred had they taken a different approach. It was probably just boys being boys but regrets may have shadowed them all their days since. This is a poem of sweet reminiscing from the female perspective. I have been in these young shoes myself and sometimes still ponder those what ifs. Lovely poem.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

I bet it WAS because of a crush. They were too shy to act in an intelligent way.
Thank you for your kind review,
j.

[Chris Shaw]

So beautifully expressed J. That last stanza is wonderful. Memories that can flood our minds so easily, as we age. And we can sit and ponder on the what ifs, and hopefully smile.

Chris

[jacob erin-cilberto]

Thank you kindly, Chris,
j.

[FGFRANKLIN]

Those childhood crushes can be devastating. I enjoyed the read, F.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

Oh they could be.
Especially one for me. Never got the chance to tell her about it. She passed before our reunion.
j.

[FGFRANKLIN]

An old love of mine was in the hospital dying and she called to say goodbye. But I didn't have a phone so she called my neighbor. He said some woman called here and it sounded like she was drunk. Morphine. She passed away the day I got the message so I understand and relate.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

This is so tragic, Fabian. I am so sorry you went through this pain.

[Arundass TP]

Beautiful writing. Enjoyed reading 🙂

[jacob erin-cilberto]

Thank you, Arundass,
j.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

Thank you, Pat!..........

[Patricia Wedel]

And she lays her Quarter on the Table... for the rest of her Life is filed with "What If's". softly, Pat

[Patricia Wedel]

dear Jacob.. Life has a lot of "What If's". Now in our golden years... there may be Tears; however; there is Silver; and Love is Gold and Passion. softly, Pat

[jacob erin-cilberto]

Yes, love is gold if it lasts, fools gold if it doesn't ....
thank you, Pat,
j.

[Patricia Wedel]

dear Jacob... "panning for gold" is a blessing... it can take a Lifetime to discover... Amen... Pat