Midsummer moist, midcity malaise until
block party can be heard two blocks away
Grab a sixpack from the fridge and
amble on over, no invite needed
Scrambled egos debating
Elvis vs. Beatles which
morphs into
Beatles vs. Stones
Who’s the host? The entire
block, sweaty from setup and
quenching thirst with first
bottle that passes
Kids and Popsicles, boys
chase girls and some chase
other boys
“Steamed clams up!” shouts
a generously endowed Tejana
Her radio channel is Mexican; it
blares trumpets and voices and
drums, overtaking Mumford & Sons
next door (Mumford’s mom is mellow,
doesn’t seem to mind)
Generosity here, tamales and
samosas, curries and jello,
the United Nations of food
Drinking local microbrews or
sipping red wine in jelly jars;
soda, water, soda water
Everything free and donations
pour in from neighboring blocks
Dancing, commence
Drum circle, all welcome
Serious rhythm, bone deep and
daring anyone to stand still
Swaying to the beat, one kid
picks up a djembe and beats
a scribbled, disjointed pathway
No one tells him to do different
Block party, where police kindly
cordon off the street and some
come in to join the fun
Block party, kind of like a rave
without the pesky Ecstasy
Just noise and sweat and
as they say in Brooklyn:
It ain’t the heat
It’s the humanity
© 2013 Amy Barlow Liberatore/Sharp Little Pencil
Joseph at Naming Constellations put up some pieces for ekphrastic poetry last year, and I revisited the prompt. I chose a Pollock, “Autumn Rhythm,” which caught my sense of smell and sound, rather a piece based on synesthesia as much as the ekphrastic prompt. I could immediately hear the drums and laughter, smell the clams in the steamer… This prompt was a feast for all my senses. Thanks, Joseph, and please find more poets answering this prompt HERE.
This can also be found at the hedgelines of Imaginary Garden With Real Toads and my poetic block party that never ends, Poets United. Peace and steamed clams, Amy
Sharp Little Pencil 
Polly Robinson
Ah … the question is there … Beatles or Stones?
Killer final two lines – fab poem, Amy x
Sharp Little Pencil
Thanks, Polly! Yeah, the “Beatles vs. Stones” was quite the debate in my high school, even after the Beatles had broken up.
I preferred the Beatles, less misogynist, and Mick always looked like he had a social disease, ha ha ha. A.
Polly Robinson
heh-heh ~ know what you mean ~ I liked both. Loved it when The Beatles lost the ‘boy next door’ image … loved it that The Stones never had it! 😉
Sharp Little Pencil
Even after they lost the “moptop” thing, they were still rarely misogynist. I didn’t appreciate the Stones until I saw the Scorsese movie… except for “Gimme Shelter,” and I think Dylan wrote that, or JImmy Cliff?? It was Merry Clayton’s backup vocal that did it for me… Thanks, Polly! Amy
Lisa A.Williams
Sounds like so much fun, love the sense of community and acceptance. Great one!
Sharp Little Pencil
This is the block party I always hope to encounter, the kind of community I envision. No one too stoned or drunk, just good fun and camaraderie. These occasions really knit families together. Thanks, Lisa! Amy
georgefloreswrite
You definitely captured the energy of a street party there, Amy. I wished I could be there hanging out 🙂
Sharp Little Pencil
You’d be on t he guest list, for sure! A
georgefloreswrite
Yay! 🙂
Seb
Good Lord – the verse breaks in here are an art into themselves!
Sharp Little Pencil
Now that is a comment worth framing! Thanks so much, Seb. Coming to visit your blog now… Peace, Amy
http://vivinfrance.wordpress.com
A veritable feast for the senses – wonderful story poem. I chose that picture from the original post, but made NO sense of it!
Sharp Little Pencil
Thanks, Viv. I linked back to THAT when Joseph commented… thought it was another prompt, a new one, and I had done the “dots and lines” the first time around. Completely missed that this had been posted before. It’s like jokes with me… you can tell me the same ones over and over, because I forget the punch lines! A
LaTonya
I needed a party. Thanks for the invite. Had a great time.
Sharp Little Pencil
Yeah, but one of my guests made off with my garden gnome! Bummer… glad you could stop by, Amy
I HAVE A VOICE
Whoa! This has such unbelievable structure ! Bravo Amy!
Sharp Little Pencil
So glad you liked this one. Joseph Harker is one hell of a poet – his work is so sleek.
Sara v
You make me hungry, and thirsty for food, dance and community!! Your words really took me there, and I loved the trip–Thank you 🙂
Sharp Little Pencil
Thanks, Sara. You are always invited to my virtual block parties! Maybe that would be a good prompt, no? What you would contribute to the block party, and why… You are sweet to leave this comment. Peace, Amy
himanirawatnayal
heat or humanity… well, that’s an attitude… It was almost as if I was there…reading but all my senses were worked-up. Very well done.
Sharp Little Pencil
Ooh, that’s the best I could hope for! You are officially invited to all my parties! Peace, Amy
vandana
🙂 yes its not heat but humanity…
Sharp Little Pencil
Old Brooklyn expression. It’s best said with a slightly Yiddish accent! Thanks, V. Amy
ed pilolla
fantastic, relevant description. i felt the scene in the street. sounds like a cool party i’d like to experience, and i’m not a party person t’all. really like generosity here…
Sharp Little Pencil
Thanks for a nice comment, Ed! I’m not a party person either, but this had me going once I got started… even I wanted to be there! Coming to see your blog now… Amy
Kay, Alberta, Canada
When I was in high school, it was Everyone Else vs Elvis.
I’d love to be at that party, Amy. Steamed clams…yum…and camaraderie, too, but there had better be coffee.
K
Sharp Little Pencil
Kay, there’s always coffee, usually so strong you can stand a spoon up in it! Wouldn’t have it any other way…
High school. My sister said it was Beach Boys vs. Ventures. No contest – the Ventures were all instrumentals! Amy
Jim
I would come to your block party, Amy. You make it sound so inviting. When we first moved to where we live now the neighbors on the street would hold block parties. An aside, it was there that I had my first Mint Julep drink. We were MOSTLY retired people.
I had to read up on the Ekphrasis. They sound like fun to write so I might try. I should have used mine today, about the top, for one. Most people thought I was writing about tops but I had in mind a person. First I started with “I” but I don’t think people really like meme “I’s” poetry to very much. And besides when I write one readers think it is me and a situation that is affecting me. Actually there isn’t such a person, he/she was my creation.
The tops pictured. My friend is into word working as a hobby and made these tops. He also made the wooden bowl that they usually rest or sleep in. So I consider them an art, perhaps industrial art.
Again, I’m liking your party, Amy. Maybe not in NYC though. Beatles or Stones or Elvis? I’ll take the Beatles any day. My kids live less than a block from their first recording studio, Abbey Road Recording Studio. Here is their web cam, my daughter and her family live in the apartment (flats) building in the background. We are at Gatwick tonight to catch a plane in the morning to Venice and then on. Our itinerary includes Istanbul, you can pray for us.
http://www.abbeyroad.com/crossing
..
Sharp Little Pencil
I will definitely pray for you and yours, Jim. Hope you have a rewarding experience in Istanbul, a spiritual place for sure.
About the top, I get it. I’m not shy about writing the “I” poems, mostly because I feel the need to claim the experiences (even the most visceral) as being real, and I’m the only witness to a lot of it. The tops and bowls idea of your artist friend sounds most appealing, as you could spin the top around the inside of the bowl, I’ll bet. I love art that looks utilitarian but actually serves no specific purpose other than to BE.
You are always welcome at my block parties. The best ones were in Buffalo, NY, where almost every few blocks join together as a neighborhood friendship organization – not a Neighborhood Watch, but a Neighborhood Klatsch!! And police officers are very nice about putting up boundaries so the street is safe for kids, etc. So much fun in a smaller city. I have not seen much of this in Madison, but frankly, there are so many kid-friendly places to congregate, I don’t know if the folks in the city need them…
Be safe, keep the faith, and ride with the wind… Thanks, as always, for a great comment, Jim. Amy
Patricia A. McGoldrick
Your poem invites!
Sharp Little Pencil
…and you are invited! Amy
Pamela
Amelita, you brought back memories of the block parties in Oaxaca. I always enjoyed them so, I even got my husband to dance with me at them. He hates dancing. However, here the people are much more reserved and this sort of thing only occurs within a group of family and friends. Thanks for transporting me with your words.
Saludos,
Pamelita
Sharp Little Pencil
Pamelita, I would love to be at a block party in Mexico! You can have them all year, and I would be the first to supply the Dos and Tres Equis. So glad your husband danced… mine is the same, did you know? Only in extreme circumstances will he let his feet do the talking. Me voy a tu blog ahora. Gracias amiga, y paz, Amelita