Just A Few Of The Things... Poem by David Whalen

Just a few of the things… I miss most of all

Roman candles
Juicyfruit gum from mom’s purse
Cordite smell of a 12 gauge
First ride in a convertible
Hayrides in the Fall
Skippin’ rocks on still water
Leaves burnin’ in street gutters
The smell of freshly baked bread
New clothes from Sears and Roebucks
Seein’ Checker cabs
Beer barrels being rolled into bar’s basements
Sparks from Trolley bus wires
Ohio river ferryboats
Visitin’ relatives deep in Kentucky
Them sayin’ “come back y’all”
John Deeres chugging in the distance
Foggy morning’s
Runnin’ trotlines on the Lickin’ river
Ol’ black cars with luggage racks on back
My dad’s exhaled smoke (from unfiltered Camels)
Lionel trains
Playin’ king-of-the- hill
Lickin’ cream off milk lids
Tadpoles
Watchin’ lightning
Friendly hugs
Lightbugs in bottles
Trust in people
Baseball games on big Emerson radios
Unlocked doors…open windows
Piano scales being played in the distance
Summer nights… and sparklers
Matinees and popcorn
White castles and Cincinnati chili
Goetta
The Island Queen steamboat and it’s calliope
Coney Island and Lesourdsville
My ol’ library
Eating “Blind Robins” in neighborhood bars
The smell of Neatsfoot oil
Old neighborhood delicatessens
Inclines
Warm cashews
Stealin’ watermelons
Puttin’ pins in doorbells
Soapin’ windows
Thinking’ I looked good
Girls that thought I did
Not knowin’ what my mom and dad did know
And of things I miss most of all……..
Innocence in all things great and small