A Foggy Night in Tennessee

Time is a fleeting thing

A Foggy Night in Tennessee

The fleeting flicker of time

flicks in, flicks out,

without thoughtful reflection

and in no particular direction. It floats,

it flies, it runs, walks, and it hides.

It wiggles, waddles, and wobbles  

over me like it’s sticking around to stay,

and then with a chuckle and a sigh  

it slowly fades away.

 

tic tock tic

 

flick, flick, flick

 

click, click, click

 

it seems like only yesterday

we celebrated our undying love

in my Dad’s old Chevy

with kisses and caresses

while the radio played

‘Begin the Beguine’

  

but in my saccharine dreams

we did more than just kiss the

night away 

  it was

     blissfully sublime -

 

flick, flick...

 

napalm jungles, tainted rice,

      screaming babies           killing fields

 

round-eyed wonder-boys banging on

the devil’s drums and pissing  on hallowed

ground

    

shallow breathing,  still grieving-

  faces that haunt me forever

             in my Technicolor nightmares

 

but you always comforted me when woken

from my hell-fueled slumber; wiping sweat

off my brow with your kisses and humming

lullabies that helped heal crucified memories

 

if not for you

    guilt, regret, and madness

           would have ravaged

 and whittled me down bare

   to the bone

       long ago

 

click, click...

 

sunrises, sunsets, and rainbows--

butterflies flittering and  fluttering about--

ocean waves on a stormy night--

shooting stars, lightening bugs, and croaking frogs--

dancing together naked  in a moonlit night--

Beethoven, Bach, Mozart and Sinatra--

Your smile

 

flash-dot- dot- dash- flicker-flick-click-click-click

 

 

Tick Tock...

 

hold my hand

 

don’t let  go

 

no need to cry

 

don’t you hear it!

 

My Dad’s old Chevy is honking its horn and

the radio is playing our song

 

tick

      

            tock

             

                         tic

                 

                                   toc

                      

         ti------------------------------------------

 

rfc

©Robert F Callaci

8/21/18