Dragonfly (page 25)

Picking up again the serialization of my book Dragonfly from 1994. Been almost 12 years since I posted a poem here. The next poem in the book is another rock poem, this time on the inimitable Janis Joplin. Like before, 'nuff said. "Janis, 1987" —twentieth anniversary of     the Summer of Love History slipped a sprocket or two last week. Invited as separate guests, Sonny and Cher sang "I Got You Babe" on the Letterman show. David swore it was an impromptu reunion. Like before, Sonny sang a bit flat and Cher tortured her vowels, but I loved it. I wanted them out of their 80s clothes, back in the optimistic garb of innocence. I wanted giant fake-fur vests, purple and orange flowers on bellbottom hiphuggers. And I remembered seeing Janis Joplin on Haight Street after school. I'd be wearing my St. Agnes uniform—brown pullover sweater, salt-and-pepper cords—while she would be glowing in sheer silks, beads, feathers. The Summer of Love was my summer before high school, and I spent weekends in Golden Gate Park at free concerts: Quicksilver, the Charlatans, and the Grateful Dead. The best moment was Janis on a flatbed truck, the toe of her right shoe nuzzling the arch of the left, fingers cradling a battered mike. Surrounded by Big Brother's electric haze, Janis was floating through a dreamy rendition of "Summertime," her voice not yet rough from pills and Southern Comfort. She gazed out into space. If she had known the bottle would bogart her life, would Janis have changed a thing? She could have reunited with Country Joe on the new Smothers Brothers hour, glossy in Miami Vice threads and spandex. And hawked Nike shoes and Nautilus health clubs.         Janis Joplin by DECARPENTRIE on Pixabay Page 25 If I remember correctly, I wrote this poem during MFA school at Indiana, and the Sonny and Cher reunion was then quite recent, so "last week" might have been actual at the time, not fictionalized. This is obviously a free verse poem and I was still developing my technique on lineation. Speaking of anniversaries, Saturday Night Live had its 50th anniversary recently, and Cher, age 78, performed in a sheer black bodysuit and thigh-high boots, amazingly. She looked like a toned 30-something. Lots of hard work in the gym, as well as some medical miracles! As always, I'm very interested in getting some feedback or discussing anything with all y'all. Comment, okay? Thanks. Ingat. DRAGONFLY FIRST CONTENTS PREVIOUS NEXT LAST