Parking Lot
The Golden Arches aglow tonight
Aglow every night as
teens collect, connect
Giggles, yo mama jokes
A squeal, somebody got tickled
Waitin’ for Bruno to get off shift
Scent of sensamilla
snakes through blades of my fan
I peek out; their shadows pass the joint around
Outside, they pack into someone’s car
squeal out of the lot in a cloud of exhaust
leaving a trickle of oil and a trail of fun
© 2012 Amy Barlow Liberatore/Sharp Little Pencil
This is for dverse, “Meeting the Bar.” Claudia asked us to write as though we were Impressionists, with quick brush strokes and hints of lighting. My inspiration was the early work of Edward Hopper, who is not known as an impressionist but had a brief foray into the style with such works as “Soir Bleu.” He is simply my favorite artist, and the humanity of his work informs my eavesdropping on this group of kids last night. Also at my poetic canvas, Poets United!
Sharp Little Pencil 
pandamoniumcat
Somethings don’t change and are the same no matter where you live… a great painting of the teen world and their hangouts!
ds
The more things change…I was right there with them. Great picture-painting. Thank you.
oldegg
My mind went back 50 years and more and I had that pang of yearning for my youth. Thanks for the dig in the memory box.
brian miller
smiles..i could be anywhere and this be true you know…they are there on the fringe in the parking lots…i may have been in one or two myself…smile.s..
Sharp Little Pencil
Pan, ds, Egg, Brian: Isn’t it amazing how we all went through this kind of stuff? Well, I don’t know about everyone and pot smoking, but the clannishness of it all… glad I wasn’t “alone in the crowd,” ha hah a
Lance
I need to show this to my teenage daughter. then again she hates fast food places.
I love the last two lines. They’re so strong.
Sharp Little Pencil
Thanks, Lance. Show her anyway. She’ll find her way to the right place!!
claudia
made me smile…brought also back some memories..for most of us i think…smiles…love the capture…a trickle of oil and a trail of fun… so cool…
scriptorsenex
As your other commenters (is that a word?) have said – memories!
Dick
A vivid evocation, Amy, and one that, for me, is redolent of the sense of America that I had as a very English child!
johnallenrichter
Oh to be young again! It truly was a trail of fun SLP!
aprille
Hiya Amy,
What a joy to google this painter and see those striking images of his work.
Thank you for acquainting me with this artist. Hiopefully I will be fortunate enough to see one of his works in real life. Very tactile, but I’m sure they wouldn’t let me stroke it 🙂
Wonderful chiaroscuro style poem, matching the clean planes and lines I detect in the painter you admire so.
kaykuala
Fascinating artist you’ve painted, Amy! Would have to spy on his works. Not seen them just yet! Thanks for sharing!
Hank
SaraV
Amy you excel in capturing those nuances that hit the memory button and bring pictures flipping through my mind. The squeal, the tickle, the sense of waiting, and scents of smoke. Love it!
Richard Cody
Ah, the wonders and blunders of youth.
jcosmonewbery
Good innocent fun!
vivinfrance
Lovely words, and so very Hopperish! Please, what is sensamilla?
Daydreamertoo
I’m with Brian, this could be anywhere. I bet they were off to have some fun too, as long as it was harmless . Nice painting Amy 🙂
Amy
Hi there! Please check out my new poetry blogzine and submit your best work: brevitypoetryreview.blogspot.com/
Steve E
SHARP LITTLE OBSERVER
“Short and sweet–
Hard to beat.”
PEACE!
Lindy Lee
Shades of old days…
Lindy Lee
Going back a few days when the vehicle was a 1955 Chevy & the hamburgers & fries were brought to the window, double dates & drive-in movies…