EVENINGS • by Richard M. O'Donnell

 
Evenings
1900s
Grandma remembers evenings
on the front porch swing
courting beaus
giggling with friends
gossiping with neighbors
as dad reads The Journal
and mom makes lemonade.
Status, Grandma whispers to me,
is determined by who comes to see you,
so never go see them!
1930s
Mom remembers evenings
sitting in the parlor
warm and snug
no coal furnace to stoke
her eyes free to crochet
listening to the radio
Little Orphan Annie
Big bands
Fireside chats
Swing
laughing at the old fuddy-duddies
sitting on the porch
waiting for someone to call.
1950s
I remember evenings
bathed in black and white
kneeling on the living room floor
mesmerized by the three kings
NBC, CBS, ABC
loving Lucy
casting Dragnets
dodging Gunsmoke
oblivious to anything
‘til the word
from our sponsors.
1980s
My son remembers evenings
in Mortal Combat
slaying aliens
crashing planes
winning Super Bowls
his fingers registered weapons
in cyberspace
his thumbs supercharged
a couch potato
about to sprout.
2010s
My grandson will remember evenings…

Richard M. O’Donnell‘s works have appeared in Everyday Poets, Everyday Fiction, Sniplits, North Coast Review, Binaryorganic, Mind Fair, Kaleidoscope, Heartlands, Many Voices, The Gamut, Diskazine, The Alchemist, Telescope, Intro and The Plum Creek Review. His short story collection, Rice Wine, was published on Disk 1983, and he has received two Ohio Arts Council grants.  He has a MFA in creative writing from BGSU. He is the co-founder of The Oberlin Writers Group where he is working on a scifi screenplay, The Main Street Project. His online publication links can be accessed at www.wormsview.com. 



 

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EVENINGS • by Richard M. O'Donnell, 3.8 out of 5 based on 13 ratings
Posted on December 18, 2009 in Literary
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6 Responses to “EVENINGS • by Richard M. O'Donnell”


  1. PSC Says:
    December 18th, 2009 at 8:15 am

    Love the stroll through generations, Richard. I am also intrigued by thoughts of what future generations will think, do, see. Lovely!

  2. Amy Corbin Says:
    December 18th, 2009 at 8:26 am

    I really liked this. Like a snapshot.

  3. Robin Herrnfeld Says:
    December 18th, 2009 at 9:31 am

    Interesting…

  4. Sharon Says:
    December 18th, 2009 at 2:09 pm

    Like an album.

  5. dj barber Says:
    December 18th, 2009 at 2:36 pm

    Sharon has it! Like paging through an old album. And wondering what will happen next.

    –dj

  6. vondrakker Says:
    December 18th, 2009 at 11:14 pm

    mories
    Like regrets
    A waste of time.
    3 ***

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