Serenade

April 5, 2011

Hi Readers!  Another one from the archives today. This week’s Red Dress Club prompt was: describe a sound or scent that brings you back to your past. I couldn’t resist. Hop on over to The Red Dress Club for more trips down memory lane!

In other news, things may be slowing down here a bit, and I might be scarce for a few weeks, but the good  news is that my energies will be spent immersed in good things, not suckage things.  New territories.  I can’t share with you just yet, but when I can, I will.  Thanks for generously bearing with me. You are truly the best.

Serenade

In brown-skinned summers,
You and I, sun-stung
From looking for tomato bugs
Would run to the rickety ice-house
Where Grandpa would teach us
The secret of watermelons.

Dappled-skinned melons were best.
Grandpa would squint, study, pluck
Only the choicest of suspects,
Rap his gnarled knuckles hard–
Knocking.
Knocking for secrets, seeking the sweet.

Crouch-down anxious, we’d wait
As Grandpa clicked his pocketknife,
Cutting hard circle
Into innocent flesh.
His foolproof method only failed twice,
Yielding dry melons
He fails to remember.

Sunset. Drugged with heat and dust,
We bit into crimson–
Let it bleed down our arms, bugs be damned,
Spit seeds into the evening
Shooting at the gray goose that hissed,
Extra points if we plundered backside.
I loved you then.

Sometimes, over your second
Gin and tonic of the evening,
You will throw your head back, laughing
Pearly picket-fence teeth bared,
And for an instant, I see the girl
Of our watermelon summers
Knocking.

~TKW

{ 39 comments… read them below or add one }

Abby April 5, 2011 at 6:50 am

Through your words, I was there.

Reply

ayala April 5, 2011 at 7:17 am

I love this, Kitch. It reminds me when my dad would bring watermelon home, my mom would always praise him for picking a sweet one. Those were happy days….
I love the way you wrote,”I see the girl of our watermelon summers Knocking.” I feel it.

Reply

Jane April 5, 2011 at 7:22 am

I adore you! Thanks for taking us back to such a poignant moment in time. I felt like I was there, too! (Can’t wait to hear the good news. Keep us posted! xoxoxo)

Reply

Julie April 5, 2011 at 7:40 am

This totally brings me back to summers that I would eat watermelon with my dad. Great descriptions throughout!

Reply

Jenna April 5, 2011 at 7:54 am

Have fun being scarce! I hope your ‘good things’ involves a book deal, and that a literary agent has discovered your blog and given you an advance to write a memoir. =)

Reply

Bonnie April 5, 2011 at 9:00 am

Wonderful! And, I love a mystery. Can’t wait to hear more.

Best,
Bonnie

Reply

Ink April 5, 2011 at 9:12 am

Lovely. Just lovely. Please share more poems with us, chica!

Good luck with your new territories! *intrigued*

Reply

Sara @ Periwinkle Papillon April 5, 2011 at 11:11 am

This was summer magic in black & white. I loved it. I usually have a hard time engaging in poetry, for me it takes those extra brain cells to focus. But this just grabbed me and I was immediately drawn into the hot sticky summer nights with watermelon and best friends.
My favorite lines are your opening: In brown-skinned summers,
You and I, sun-stung…
Just fantastic yummy words.

Reply

Barbara April 5, 2011 at 12:13 pm

Wow. I had some catching up to do!
Love the noodle slut post….of course, I had read someplace that’s what Puttanesca meant…so I got a charge out of the post. It can be taken so many ways. I really don’t prefer a red sauce with my pasta (!!?!) so when I am in a rush and cooking for myself, I almost always take noodles, butter, garlic and cheese of some sort and throw it all together in a frying pan. So naughty of me.

Serenade was lovely, touching and familiar! You are quite a talent! I am officially impressed, esp. since I can barely string two sentences together. :)

Can’t wait to hear your news!

Reply

Jennifer April 5, 2011 at 2:22 pm

I’m glad you are getting new, fabu opportunities. You deserve them. Even though this poem makes me sad because I can totally relate.

Reply

Rudri Bhatt Patel @ Being Rudri April 5, 2011 at 3:01 pm

Lovely. And I can’t wait to hear your news. Glad it is not of the suckage variety. So glad.

Reply

Sherri April 5, 2011 at 4:24 pm

Is this a memoir of your sister? It’s so direct and poignant. I feel like I know both she and your grandfather now. Happy watermelon memory to you :-).

Reply

TKW April 7, 2011 at 2:11 pm

Sherri,
Bingo.xo

Reply

angela April 5, 2011 at 6:28 pm

Your descriptions are so very vivid!

The part about him making a mistake twice made him so human, despite the perfect memories :)

Reply

Frelle April 5, 2011 at 6:30 pm

this was just magnificent. so many great lines i cant even quote them. but it was a pleasure to read!

Reply

Dawn April 5, 2011 at 7:10 pm

Wonderful.

Best to you on the good news as well! :)

Reply

Privilege of Parenting April 5, 2011 at 7:13 pm

Lovely… summer rising through spring. All Good Wishes for New Territories…

Reply

Mama Track April 5, 2011 at 7:42 pm

This tastes like summer to me.

It’s a beautiful poem, rich in sensory experience. I enjoyed reading it a lot.

Thanks for sharing it!

Reply

jc April 5, 2011 at 10:09 pm

You get a big herky for heading into new territories. I’m with you.

Reply

jc April 8, 2011 at 8:03 pm

Yes, I’m replying to my comment.

I take back what I said about new territories after the day you had. I have a bad feeling that someone is gonna have to fill out another form that involves the coordinates to a burial plot. I take back the herky, I clearly underestimated the devil. I am, however, right behind you with the rolling pin. :)

Reply

TKW April 9, 2011 at 6:36 am

jc,

Come on over and help me dig?

Reply

Heather April 6, 2011 at 5:37 am

Love this! Hope your new adventures are bringing you lots of smiles. Can’t wait to hear about them!!

Reply

Megan (Best of Fates) April 6, 2011 at 6:22 am

Such a beautiful memory – I wish I knew the secrets of watermelons!

Reply

BigLittleWolf April 6, 2011 at 8:53 am

Mmmm. Leaving me with a smile. And whatever you’re up to, hope it’s all good!

Reply

Belinda April 6, 2011 at 10:56 am

I sense a bittersweet longing…lovely.

Reply

Merrilymarylee April 6, 2011 at 12:49 pm

Oh ye of many layers, I am so pleased that you’re heading into Good Things territory. Make Martha jealous.

Ah, watermelon summers. I remember…!

Reply

Biz April 6, 2011 at 2:50 pm

Loved this post :D

Glad you are emersed in fun things and not sucky things! :D

Reply

Velva April 6, 2011 at 7:26 pm

Looking forward to the good news! Hurry-up and share with us.

Reply

lifeintheboomerlane April 7, 2011 at 2:14 pm

Lovely. I’m counting the days until the next “watermelon summer.”

Reply

ck April 8, 2011 at 3:14 am

Is there any style of writing you can’t bring beauty to?

Reply

Shawna April 8, 2011 at 5:17 pm

<3 !!!

Reply

faemom April 8, 2011 at 11:16 pm

Beautiful.

Reply

Shawna Cevraini April 9, 2011 at 8:07 am

I am always amazed how your stories take me with you down memory lane! You are a fantastic writer! Good luck with whatever you’re up to! I wish nothing but the best for you my friend :)

Reply

Liz April 14, 2011 at 2:32 am

Well I’m sorry to say that as lovely as the poem is…I was too distracted by your whole “good-stuff-i-can’t-tell-you-all-about-yet” opener to enjoy it!

Reply

lestur July 9, 2012 at 1:38 am

I do trust all of the ideas you have offered in your post. They’re really convincing and will definitely work. Nonetheless, the posts are very brief for novices. May just you please lengthen them a bit from subsequent time? Thank you for the post.

Reply

bteuubvmx July 14, 2012 at 12:21 pm

yqgnkptws urted dqemmlo rbgt qseqxlkpynsktwu

Reply

Article Directory July 14, 2012 at 4:16 pm

8oTehO Very neat post.Really looking forward to read more. Will read on…

Reply

www July 14, 2012 at 7:20 pm

3FS4W40V2NK 3FS4W40V2NK 3FS4W40V2NK 699700 3FS4W40V2NK

Reply

Zebra Zoologist July 16, 2012 at 5:55 pm

nice page you should write a weekly newsletter :)

Reply

Cancel reply

Leave a Comment

Previous post:

Next post: