Strawberry Fields Forever

The summer I was 16, I arose at 4:30 A.M. and caught the berry bus.

We picked strawberries under the Pacific Northwest sun,

intending to finish flat after flat for spending money,

but we had a little too much fun.

 

We talked. We laughed.

We danced in the rows

Wild Thing played on our transistor radios.

Wild thing, you make my heart sing, you make everything groovy.

 

We divided into couples and temporarily fell in love,

kissing under  trees at lunch, with bologna on our breath.

I picked quickly one day to meet a cute tall boy in the next row.

Not sure if I liked him, but thought I’d find out.

 

We strolled to an open barn and looked inside at a cool boat.

Back in the field, as we worked earnestly, Peggy, the berry boss approached us,

What were you two doing in the barn?

We weren’t in the barn. We were at the door, looking at the boat.

 

She was from my church, where sex was the big sin.

She was sure sex was happening in that barn.

It wasn’t.

But she didn’t believe us.

 

Decades have passed since the strawberry fields.

Life seemed carefree then, but it wasn’t;

there was Vietnam.

Still, I will remember strawberry fields forever.

 

 

 

 

Reviews

[lovelymarina]

This has such a vintage, realistic feel to it. The title drew me in almost immediately, and the imagery was so real, raw, and vivid. Like young couples in the 90's, no social media or phones to worry about... fulfillment from simplicity, God I wish I experienced those times. This was beautiful, thank you for writing..
Xx
Marina

[Shelley Warner]

I'm glad you enjoyed it. Thank you for reading and commenting.

[G. A. Bernard]

Ah yes, the wonderous days of our youth. Thanks for taking me back there for a moment.

[Shelley Warner]

You're welcome. Thanks for reading.

[Zoe Richardson]

What a wonderful afternoon! So innocent, and yet evocative. There is much to be said for clean fun, and you bring that to life here!

[Shelley Warner]

Oh thank you. I appreciate it.

[Lydia Shutter]

You brought me back to my teens with this poem, Shelley. The innocence of youth was carefree. We believed in peace. We believed that a kiss was love and it would last till the end of time. Sure, there was Vietnam and there were race riots and sit-ins too. Somehow, though, we believed in life...we believed we could change the world. Strawberry Fields forever.....ah yes. Especially appropriate on what would have been John Lennon's Birthday! Well written. Lydi**

[Shelley Warner]

Thank you for that wonderful review Lydia. It touched me that this moved you to tears. And I didn't realize I posted it on John Lennon's birthday. I like that.

[Coyote Poetry]

A wonderful poem and memory shared dear Shelley.
"Decades have passed since the strawberry fields.
Life seemed carefree then, but it wasn’t;
there was Vietnam.
Still, I will remember strawberry fields forever."
I loved the above lines. Thank you for sharing the outstanding poetry. I did enjoy.
Coyote

[Shelley Warner]

Thank you Coyote for reading and for your affirming review.

[Coyote Poetry]

You are welcome dear Shelley.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

you brought back memories of listening to Wild Thing on my transistor radio...and my friend and I going to the dairy to get ice cream cones....dancing in the street to that song...I was also 16 when that song arrived on the charts.
Number one on WLS Silver Dollar Survey.
yes, it was carefree...we stole kisses near the school where the nuns taught us...and we prayed they wouldn't catch us.
there were days...
those days, the Catholic days
and then...
College, the draft, the Beatles in their drug stage and those of us experiencing the sixties will never forget.
j.

[Shelley Warner]

Yes, it was a time of great change. I enjoyed reading your memories. It reminded me of stories my husband used to tell of growing up in Catholic schools.Thanks for reading.

[Carlos Lorenzo Estrada]

Thank you Shelley for sharing this slice of life piece. It reminds me of a time back in the late 70s working on a farm with my younger brother. We were planting Christmas trees of all things. I was such a productive laborer taking very serious my work ethic. I never wanted to feel as if I were stealing or taking from someone by not giving my absolute best in the job I did. My parents were divorced at that time and we were living on food stamps. I worked to buy my own clothes and toys. I also used a couple of dollars to purchase comic books and small pulp fantasy books like Conan the barbarian. Every time I hear the some what obscure song "love is like oxygen" by the band Sweet I'm taking back to those days. Music leaves such an indelible imprint within our hearts we can't help but reminisce of days long past. Thank you for sharing this wonderful piece of you with us.

[Shelley Warner]

Oh thank you for sharing your memories with me too. I enjoyed reading them. Music sure does leave an indelible imprint on us, as you said.

[John the Baptist]

I was also young in this time period. While I didn't pick any berries, I do remember "Wild Thing." (There was a comedy record which included an impression of Sen. Robert F. Kennedy singing the song, which still breaks me up.). This was indeed the time of the Viet Nam War, which encroached on so many people's lives. The part about the supervisor suspecting the couple of engaging in sex is also telling. Conventional morality was reacting to the sexual revolution, another source of conflict. An entertaining and revealing look at a time now a distant memory.

[Shelley Warner]

I hadn't thought about that, John, that the part about the supervisor suspecting sex (how's that for alliteration was conventional morality reacting to the sexual revolution, another source of conflic. Well said.

[Melinda McQueen]

I so enjoyed this. Taking stories from your life and sharing through poetry means a lot. I'm attempting doing so in the poetry book I'm currently writing.
Thanks for sharing.

[Shelley Warner]

Good luck on your new book Melinda. I'm working on a third book which is a collection of reflections on creation--nature, people, flaws, and future. I'll probaby submit it to Covenant Books sometime this years. Thanks for reading.

[Melinda McQueen]

I can't wait to read it!

[Shelley Warner]

Thank you. It's coming together. I have one part that celebrates nature with poems and reflections. Another part celebrates "a special creation" which is humanity. It deals with respect and love. Then I discuss the flaws of creation (violence, sickness, etc.) I end with a section on how creation will be restored.

[Melinda McQueen]

Oooooooh That will be great. Ok. I'm officially excited!!!!!!!!!!

[Shelley Warner]

Thank you Melinda. I'll let you know when it's out.

[barleygirl]

I love this story-in-a-poem. Love your sparkling fresh details & how relatable every line is. I didn't do any picking, but I've had my share of gritty agricultural jobs & even in the most severe conditions, coworkers become smitten with one another! I also remember being accused of being on drugs when I wasn't, but just becuz I'm off the wall. This poem is a gift to anyone who touched this kind of living (((HUGS)))

[Shelley Warner]

Thank you, I enjoyed reading your review.