Be my Lou for the day . . .

. . . remember that old song?
Of course you do. Sing it with me!
Skip to my Lou, my darlin’!

Let’s skip stones across a pond
and then, chalk in hand,
draw hopscotch on a sidewalk.
Later you can pour me a Scotch
and we’ll pour over old photo albums
laughing at our childhood antics.

A bit puckered out and perhaps tipsy too,
we’ll gawk at the stars, sitting on the stoop.
Stooped shoulders with a myriad of wrinkles.
Madeline L’Engle’s wrinkles in time
singing Skip to my Lou, my darlin’!
Oh let’s just skip the malarkey and admit it.

We’re septuagenarians in love with life!


Melissa has us zeugmatically speaking for today’s Poetics at dVerse, the virtual pub for poets around the globe. She explains, “zeugma is defined by Merriam-Webster as ‘a figure of speech in which a word applies to two others in different senses.’ Zeugma is a rhetorical device that is used to emphasize, add humor, or surprise a reader.” Hopefully, I’ve done this correctly with the words skip and pour. The words Scotch, stoop, and wrinkle are played with a bit here as well. Madeline L’Engle’s famous novel, A Wrinkle in Time, is also referenced . . . sort of!

22 thoughts on “Be my Lou for the day . . .

  1. Melissa Lemay's avatar Melissa Lemay August 13, 2024 / 3:28 pm

    This is such a sweet and fun poem, Lillian. Yes, I believe you did it correctly. I love your example. Enjoying a drink and being together, and pouring over memories. A delightful time. And the romance of the stars.🤩

    Like

    • lillian's avatar lillian August 14, 2024 / 7:57 pm

      So glad you enjoyed! I really had fun with the prompt – thank you!

      Liked by 1 person

  2. kim881's avatar kim881 August 13, 2024 / 3:36 pm

    Oh yes, Lill! I love wordplay in the title and everywhere else! I hope I’m still in love with life in a few years’ time.

    Like

    • lillian's avatar lillian August 14, 2024 / 7:58 pm

      Thank you, Kim. I’m sure you’ll be in love with life….you always are! You’re a very positive person. At my age, I’ve realized, it’s all about adjusting! 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  3. Gillena Cox's avatar Gillena Cox August 13, 2024 / 4:22 pm

    Very nicel done. I am smiling😊

    much🤍love

    Liked by 1 person

    • lillian's avatar lillian August 14, 2024 / 7:59 pm

      Always happy to hand out smiles! 😉

      Like

  4. Ain - UA's avatar A.H. Starlingsson August 13, 2024 / 4:23 pm

    Really wonderful tone, and lovely play with words that go with it, but I just LOVED these two lines as well…

    draw hopscotch on a sidewalk.
    Later you can pour me a Scotch

    Still chuckling…

    Liked by 1 person

    • lillian's avatar lillian August 14, 2024 / 8:00 pm

      Always glad to hand out chuckles! Let me also add here, I couldn’t figure out how to comment on your poem…..so I hope you’ll read this here. The first two stanzas set her background and the backdrop of war so very well. And then the third stanza moved to the purpose of the poem…the kiss….and you were “off to the races” in terms of sensuality. It was delectable!

      Liked by 1 person

    • lillian's avatar lillian August 14, 2024 / 8:01 pm

      Thanks, Dwight. Hope to see you Saturday at dVerse LIVE!

      Liked by 1 person

      • rothpoetry's avatar rothpoetry August 14, 2024 / 8:14 pm

        I will try to make it! Thanks.

        Like

    • lillian's avatar lillian August 14, 2024 / 8:01 pm

      I did indeed! But “lou lou skip to my lou” is now an earworm that is repeating and repeating in my head!!! 🙂

      Liked by 2 people

      • Lisa or Li's avatar msjadeli August 14, 2024 / 8:05 pm

        Well it will get tired, just like the one in RFK Jr’s head 😉

        Liked by 1 person

  5. Frewin55's avatar Frewin55 August 14, 2024 / 3:27 pm

    Such fun Lillian – zeugma and all…

    Liked by 2 people

    • lillian's avatar lillian August 15, 2024 / 4:05 pm

      Glad you enjoyed! Hope to see you Saturday at dVerse LIVE!

      Liked by 1 person

  6. crazy4yarn2's avatar crazy4yarn2 August 14, 2024 / 6:35 pm

    I love the way you tie together childhood and getting older!

    Liked by 2 people

  7. Frank J. Tassone's avatar Frank J. Tassone August 20, 2024 / 3:51 pm

    What a vivacious celebration of nostalgia! These are my favorite lines:

    Stooped shoulders with a myriad of wrinkles.
    Madeline L’Engle’s wrinkles in time
    singing Skip to my Lou, my darlin’!

    Liked by 1 person

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