[The waitress at Sonic] The waitress at Sonic is sixteen and full of life and laughs when I ask if I can leave a tip and if I were her age I would eat cheeseburgers and drink milkshakes all summer long. I would tip her when I could, and try to capture her joy like a firefly in a jar on a soft summer night back home, when I was still a boy.
This poem doesn’t need a whole lot of explanation; agreed? It is the second poem in a three-poem suite which has evolved after several trips to Arkansas in recent years. The Sonic with the 16-year-old waitress was in Piggott, Arkansas, where I attended a writing workshop during the summer of 2021. I didn’t have a photo exactly on-point, but I do think this photo says “summer.” The gazing ball was made by Annie Anglim, my sister-in-law and the Founder/Managing Director of Cause and Affect Gallery in Fenton, Michigan.
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A New Poem Every Monday
(tho’ sometimes life gets in the way)
Joseph Neely, all rights to original material reserved
The Occasional Poem 
This poem is a brilliant start to Monday. I’m not sure when or why I started following your blog, but I’m happy I did so.
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I very much appreciate you following and leaving a comment. I have found attracting new readers to be difficult so, again, thank you very much.
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The summers of innocence. Hanging out, going to Victory Park Pool, going to Lawson’s for some potato chips and a pop sitting on the grass with “the love of my life” at the time. Oh yes the innocence of youth.
Deb
I love the glass globe and the beautiful Delphinium
See you next month.
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Great summer memories . . . I’ve written about Victory Park Pool and I certainly remember the Doesnearby Lawson’s. Does Lawson’s still exist? My mom used to like the chipped ham, so I ate a lot of chipped ham sandwiches. Oh, the deer ate the Delphinium . . . damn pests!
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Joe,
No Lawsons is not open any longer, but the Circle K’s ( quick mart gas stations) have Lawsons Chip Dip, I guess it’s the best. I’m not a chip dip fan so I wouldn’t know, but so I’ve heard. Maybe I’ll give it a try.
We live in the country and have deer, but they have so many places to hide and eat, they never touch my plants. They eat all mom’s flowering plants. She b…..s about it all the time..😂
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What a beautiful example of gracious aging, and the wisdom it brings. Joe, you have developed the ability to read my thoughts. I guess that’s when you know you achieved success as a poet.
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Great minds think alike, John. Thanks, as always, for your thoughts. I hope we can get together this fall!
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You’ve captured a beautiful time of life with these words. Makes me excited for summer!
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Me too, Clare. Thanks!
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LOVELY, Joe.
Prof. Sandra F. VanBurkleo Department of History, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI and Owner, Artisan Knitworks LLC (Chelsea, MI)
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Thank you, Sandra.
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