CHANTEUSE IN SNEAKERS
From that first jam session, I was
the little girl singing with old dudes
They told me I “brought it”
Caught ‘em by the spiritual heel
Held ‘em with my feeling, healing
No drab days after that debut
Wandering out the back forty
serenading the birds who
sang back like they were answering
Daydreamed through school
Lyrics in mind (not math)
Pondering styles on mental stylus
Teacher would call on me
I’d pulsate from embarrassment
No clue as to question or even subject
Kids laughed and teachers scolded me
about my silly sidetrackedness
But I’d have luxurious revenge
Within two years, the best songs
ingrained in my brain, a tendril of
inspiration connecting song to singer
At the jam, I shocked even my siren mom
when I sang “Embraceable You,”
a pint-sized vixen, meaning every word
Caught glances of awestruck audience
I watched their reserve melt away
Drawn into my world, surreal, transfixed
They left reality behind, escaped the moment
of “I’m guzzling a martini” to float into
a haven of heaven, losing themselves
I was seven years old
when I realized I had the ability
to eat other people’s shadows
© 2013 Amy Barlow Liberatore/Sharp Little Pencil
For Imaginary Garden With Real Toads, the final stanza is the first line of a poem by Hamilton Cork; we were given several lines from which to create a poem. Thank, Izy, for a great prompt. Read all poems and a bio of Hamilton Cork HERE.
Also for ABC Wednesday (C) and Three Word Wednesday (drab, pulsate, tendril).
Sharp Little Pencil 
Kay, Alberta, Canada
Oh, this is great, Amy, leaving the Hamilton Cork line to the end, and weaving a wonderful story first. I love love love the word “sidetrackedness” — the story of my life!
K
Sharp Little Pencil
Kay, you may borrow any of my Amyisms anytime you want! I do the combined word thing a lot… Thanks for commenting! Amy
Sherry Blue Sky
Amy, I loved every single word of this. Could see you, tiny with big eyes, just knocking them off their chairs with your singing…….love the image of the little girl singing to the birds out back……and LOVE how you used that prompt line to bring it home. Sigh. A feast!
Sharp Little Pencil
Sherry, all I can do, dear friend, is blush at your comments…! Thanks, hon! Amy
Stan Ski
Love that expression ‘to eat other people’s shadows’ !
Sharp Little Pencil
That’s the Hamilton Cork line. I could never come up with something like that. Eat someone’s cannoli, maybe, but shadow? Nawwwwww. Hee hee Amy
Sara v
Amy, The music is definitely in you, and the poetry too–fantastic write and love that use of the ending stanza too–perfectly wonderful 🙂 I agree with Sherry, this was a feast–thank you for the smiles
Carver
I love this! Carver, ABC Wed. Team
brian miller
the ability to eat other peopls shadows…dang…what an end…what a rush as well to perform…it is wonderful to see those dreams come true as well….you got your apt revenge eh? smiles…
Sharp Little Pencil
Brian,Hamilton Cork provided the last stanza,,, I fell in love with that concept among many choices in the prompt. Also, I see the eating of the shadows as relieving them of the long, crappy day they probably had before coming over to the club. Like lifting a burden, you know? Love, Amy
dani
i was so caught up in this, Amy! your use of words is always stunning! love “pulsate from embarrassment” ~ what a perfect description! this is brilliant!
♥
Sharp Little Pencil
Thaniks, Dani. Please leave me a link to your blog next time so I can hop over and visit! Peace, Amy
surfillinois
Liking your poetry alot – snaps and crackles and pops.
Sharp Little Pencil
And the best part is, all that yummy sugary sludge at the bottom of the bowl! No, really, I loved this comment. Coming over to see “whatchugot”! Amy
Debbie
You are all of that and even more! Is there anything you can’t do? I don’t think so . . . 🙂 love!
ManicDdaily
So well done! k.
Roger Green
So you’ve been THAT good THAT long. Color me jealous!
Sharp Little Pencil
I don’t mean to brag, but that’s what people have always said. Drove my sisters insane that I was Mom’s “pocket Garland.” Made a good career for years, too! Thanks, Roger, Amy
kimnelsonwrites
Perfect. You made that quote your own and completed a brilliant piece of writing.
http://www.kimnelsonwrites.com/2013/01/31/shadow-eater/
Josie Two Shoes
I loved this, a little girl who lived in her dream world and then lived her dreams, learning that she had a source of power all her own! It is obvious that you were a very special child from the very beginning…. that makes me smile!
Sharp Little Pencil
Well, “special” is a two-way street. My mom fought to NOT make me a child prodigy. She made sure I grew up on the same block as everybody else, so that the jam sessions would be a treat, not a way of life leading to some Judy Garlandesque tragedy. And of course my sisters HATED ME!!! Ha ha. Amy
Susie Clevenger (@wingsobutterfly)
I lived in my own dream world. I must say I still do to some extent. Love how this little girl wrapped the adults around her finger with her voice…So glad you learned to eat shadows.
Sharp Little Pencil
Like I told Brian, in my mind, it was lightening their load… and also feeling my own power! Coming to see YOU now… Peace, Amy
vivinfrance
In a way this poem shows how you became as you are now|: a real performert not just of others’ work, but of your own creative output. I really love “serenading the birds who
sang back like they were answering”
Sharp Little Pencil
I was thinking of “Skylark” – “Sad as a gypsy serenading the moon.” Thanks, Viv!
Reader Wil
A brilliant piece of writing! Like kimnelsonwrites wrote! You are clever! Thanks for your comment. No we didn’t have to bundle up. There were footpaths and steps every where. Sometimes we had to duck for lowhanging rocks, but the guide warned us in time,
Cressida de Nova
This is so good at so many levels.It comes with a price having that gift…not all good!
Kerry O'Connor
The sentence we both chose is very alive with creative possibility. I love the direction it took you in this ode of self-fulfillment.
Sharp Little Pencil
Oh, Kerry, yes, yours took a darker turn… the harsh realities of being born female, right?
Helen
How clever to leave that line until the very end … I was so drawn into your poem, almost forgot there was a line you needed to use … you did it well.
Sharp Little Pencil
Thanks so much, Helen. I realized too late that I should have italicized that last stanza, as many others did… I appreciate your stopping by! If you have a blog, please do leave a link for me next time! Amy
El Guapo
Music with passion is definitely powerful!
Do you hae anything recorded?
Sharp Little Pencil
There are recording posts all over this blog… I’ll send you some links via email. Also, I have a release at CDBaby called “Jazz Baby Hits Her Stride.” Thanks, Guap! Amy
Lindy Lee
Bon appétit pour des ombres…
Hannah Gosselin
Amazing write, Amy!! You slow down time with your star moment!! Such a great feeling of validation..I love this:
“serenading the birds who
sang back like they were answering”
Beautiful!
lesliebcl
Whoa! I’d have loved to hear that! And now…are you still as good or even better?
Leslie
abcw team
Anna :o]
Pondering styles on mental stylus
Love your words Amy – well done.
Anna :o]
isadoragruye
Well helloooo! Many apologies for the late response to your offering at the Out of Standard. This poem is fantastic in its character and in it tone: which I feel is a little of the wistful and a lot on the tenderness of sentiment.
Loved the idea of singing to birds and imagining that they are answering back, even just the fact that you craft those lines in that way “thinking” they were answering, implies what I feel is the arch here, signs that are not signs and what not.
Wonderful use of the prompted sentence as well. Viva la and thanks again for leaving such a wonderful response.
Bushwick is Beautiful
The best language has always been music. This speaks to me though. The world awaits
purplepeninportland
Excellent, Amy. The borrowed line was a perfect ending.