Melted

A drabble on summer love and being young and all those other trite, Kodak moments.

The air is ripe, and we bite into it

The sun is warm butter, and we bathe in it

The sidewalk is naked, and so we adorn it

with rainbows, with SKY BLUE, with neapolitan puddles. 

Our hair is wild, and the wind isn't helping

Our hands brush once, and my heart takes off running

Our backs are sweating, and the radio's playing

Bruce Springsteen, Tom Petty, Neil Young.

The waves are salty, and you look like heaven

The sand is scorching, and your smile makes me thirsty

The sky is cloudless, and you just get tanner

while my shoulders turn pink like my cheeks when you kiss them.

I drink too much at your best friend's birthday

I tell you a secret of mine without thinking

I worry for five seconds, stomach starts knotting

but you pull me close and give me your tequila-lime-salty lips.

The exit signs fly by, and your hand's on the gearshift

The night feels alive with a beat, and I need it

The car is our ticket, our suitcase, we've packed it

and we drive all night with our fingers laced up.

We're sunburnt and tired, the bed's an oasis

We're sore and there's sand in a number of places

The TV is on but we watch each other's faces

and you tell me my eyes are mermaid sea-green. 

It's citrus and berry and lemonade-flavored

It's Coppertone and aloe and cheeseburger-scented

It's red, white, and blue and it's firework-colored

and when you talk I can hear the ocean like a shell at my ear. 

And it will come again next year with magic and snapshots

and sunblock for me and a dreamsicle for you. 

Reviews

[SteveB]

You did such a magnificent job of carrying me both to your place and to NY summers 30 years ago. I loved the structure here. It gave the piece, particularly the fifth stanza, a speed to match the mood. The earlier stanzas had a slower pace given the word choices but then as night approached it sped up. Very well done.

[The Twin Arenas]

heh. s**t. this is good.
Tom Petty and Bruce Springsteen and Neil Young all rule.

The way you wrote this, the way thing, and the way that thing is. It's a simple idea, but it works. The simplicity of this type of summer connection or whatever, I think that's what you were driving at, that idea works really for this.

You should check out The War On Drugs Record "Lost In The Dream." It's like those guys you mentioned in your poem, if you actually like those guys.

[Zakari Schmidt]

I'm so glad I stumbled upon this poem I think it's great. The flow you used was flawless in my eyes, brought your imagery to life that much more. Took me to a place I didn't wanna leave

[Sofia Brun]

This is just amazing, but I am not going to lie to you and say I thought it was super deep and I totally get where your coming from with this because I truly have no idea why I love this so deeply. I just find it relatable on like a day to day basis and it's just, damn, I can't explain it.
It's very good, okay? lol

[Beccy]

Just gorgeous from start to finish. Reminds of a while back, before a little too much of life got in the way.

Beccy.

[ron]

A beautifully penned poem of love.
This made me smile and sigh heavily.

[Justin]

The entire piece paints such a beautiful picture. And I cant believe you don't like black but your going to be FBI! Won't they make you wear black?

[Writer at last! Sky ~]

You really melted the words and blended it into a beauty!!!

[The Rock And Roll Cowbo..]

Wow this is so fantastic, I being a hopeless romantic are in awe in your creative expression of what new love feels like.

[Sourav]

Very well written. an enjoyable poem. Nice flow and wonderfully expressed!

[MoriartyMesa]

In my experience two things melt well, sugar and your wording that leaps to so many thoughts that should be remarked on to be as so sweet as melted sugar. Just the Pastry Chef in me I suppose. But I could not help but love your blend.