I had David Bowie's "China Girl" in the back of my head: "I'll give you television, I'll give you eyes of blue ..."




Old Song

I'll give you Samsung androids

I'll give you freckled cheeks

I'll give you a girl who works the hula hoop





Poetry by Uncle Meridian The PoetBay support member heart!
Read 28 times
Written on 2025-05-10 at 10:48

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jim The PoetBay support member heart!
With the first two lines I nodded to the real and possible.

The third line was a happy jolt, hula hoops, what?! Suddenly I was back on the neighborhood street after supper, 1950's, boys playing catch or climbing trees, the girls jump-roping, hop-scotching and roller skating, but everyone hula hooped!

It was the era of stereotyping, but the girls, some, played catch, and the boys, some, hop-scotched, roller skated and jumped roped. I certainly did.

Thanks for this brief but highly evocative poem.
2025-05-10


Lawrence Beck The PoetBay support member heart!
I used to modify song lyrics for my kids all the time. One example: "When the moon hits your eye, you'll go blind and you'll die." With "America," I replaced "God shed His grace on thee" with "Good sheds don't come for free."
2025-05-10