RUSH STREET - 2004 (An Original Poem with Art Giveaway)
A little about this poem: Artist Juan Parker and I have been friends (and have been aspiring to build our individual careers) for decades. We’ve been making a trip to Chicago once a year for over fifteen years click here to read about our trips.
My poem Rush Street was inspired by the memories of our trips. Jilly's is long gone now, it was a jazz bar that stood on Rush Street in the heart of Chicago and was named after Frank Sinatra's friend, restaurateur Jilly Rizzo. Some incredible memories were made there, some day I promise we will write a book about it.
I hope you enjoy it. Don't miss the details of tonight's giveaway below the poem!
RUSH STREET - 2004
Here we are on Rush Street
amongst all the beautiful people
tonight, much too tall to be blue
these eyes appear to be lying
because after all this time,
we seem to be the ones they're watching
dressed to the "t",
they think we have it nice and easy
but the strongest might get queasy
At the struggles we've seen
Jilly's was soaked in Sinatra,
contentment seemed a lonely dancer
I, an easy fool....because for a second it felt like
we had made it to the other side
here we are on Rush Street
amongst all the beautiful people
and city lights, much too tall to be blue
awash in merlot and a King Cole tune
there's not a problem in this world
that could've eclipsed my grin
not even another one on the chin
from reality, I've become immune
last night left me longing
how I wish I could remember her name
instead I sit wondering what it all means
and file it all away under, "some day".
Because, there we were on Rush Street
amongst all the beautiful people,
what memories, now to make them true.
Giveaway Details: Tonight I have the great pleasure of collaborating with Juan on this post. He’s offering two of his hand-painted t-shirts, pictured below, to two random commenters. Each of these one of a kind t-shirts took hours to paint and are autographed by the artist himself. The winner will be announced at the time of post closing! The revenue from this post will be shared 50/50 with Juan. Good luck!
You write great poetry @ericvancewalton
Your ability to come up with poems on a daily basis is incredibly impressive! It takes me weeks to come up with one! Thank you for sharing :)
Thanks @jcornel. You're very welcome! I'm almost embarrassed to admit how long I've been doing this.
I grew up in the North suburbs of Chicago in the 60's, walked the Loop, Piper's Alley and Rush with my buddies, so your image was easy to see, nicely done.
Awesome @beginningtoend! What a time to be young and what a city to be young in! I love Chicago. There's so much culture there and most people I've encountered are friendly and totally open to tourists. It would be expensive to live there but you would have so much at your doorstep.
@beginningtoend, you're a winner of one of the hand-painted shirts! Please email your shipping address preference to - [email protected]. Congrats and thanks for participating!
You've inspired me to post some of my poems on steemit that I have written.
Will be posting some of mine soon, Thanks for sharing your art :)
That's wonderful to hear @ballinconscious. It's a freeing experience to open yourself up and post your work. Many find it a little scary at first but the fear fades. Thank you!
I totally loved the poem.
There is so much to learn from you everyday.
I'm glad on both accounts! We're all learning from one another, this is the beauty of Steemit! Thank you, @mindfreak!
Eric. I enjoyed the poem and as usual you are a great inspiration to other aspiring poets and authors. Thanks a bunch.
Thank you so much!
excellent poem thanks for sharing
Thanks!
My two favorite parts:
soaked in Sinatra
not a problem... that could've eclipsed my grin
What I like about this poem is, it has that rat-pack feel.
Thanks, @geke. I totally identify with that time. Stepping into Jilly's in Chicago was like being transported back to that era. It makes me sad that there are less and less of these places every year. Even in a big city like Chicago. Authenticity is slowly fading away.
creative
Much appreciated!
I had to read this one twice over in succession to appreciate fully the nuances and setting you have created. Sometimes life can seem surreal and the ambience of an environment, especially one of high life luxury, can sweep your existence into a swirling tunnel vision within the moments taking place. Being dressed to the t helped them to have admiration and acceptance for a fleeting moment, yet such exterior appearances couldn't mask or reveal the true horrors they had experienced. This Rush Street memory would be a cherished one that would fade in the distance by the detail the more time would pass, seeing that they only belonged for a temporary pleasure, a snippet of time, a token of euphoric forgetfulness of their "current situation." What a wonderful poem. My grandmother was friends with Frank Sinatra and dined with him occasionally. This brought back memories of sweet San Francisco, when the security and bodyguards of celebrities back then wasn't such a crazy ordeal regarding paparazzi and crazed fans. You could literally catch musicians such as Sinatra casually dining at one of your favorite diners, and this poem also gives that same notion of sentiment. To be amongst the revered and bigger than life entities and individuals who magnetize influence and a state of celebratory interaction upon contact as the people around them naturally gravitate to their aura. Really enjoyed this one. And never be ashamed for how long you have been writing, we only become more polished as the years pass. Upvoted
Your comments are works of art in an of themselves, @verbal-d. Thank you. Wait, your grandmother was FRIENDS with Sinatra? I hope she relayed to you lots of stories about it. Just the fact that that level of celebrity could dine in public is a reflection of how different the society was back then. Today, they'd be mobbed by people wanting selfies. I'm glad you enjoyed this!
Thank you for your appreciation and welcoming replies as well. It's great to connect with a creative mind as yourself. And yes, my grandma, as humble as she is, has told me a couple of stories about her dinners and outings with Sinatra. She plays his music very often and I do miss the days when I would play her improv piano to the track list of Sinatra's greatest hits in the seemingly timeless summer days as a teenager. Moments like those you cherish and never forget.
And you're right, these days, the celebrity status has greatly impacted society due to the technological advancement in communication and media tactics. People would freak out even at the sight of a C-grade reality tv star. Privacy is definitely a privilege when you are known worldwide. And yes I'm glad to have come across your poem in my feed.
I do hope you enjoy my newest poem.
@verbal-d, you're one of the winners! Please email your shipping address preference to - [email protected] along with your t-shirt design preference. Congrats and thanks for your support!
This is a wonderful surprise, thank you for choosing me as one the selected winners. I am very happy and I gladly accept. :) I shall email you now. Thank you very much again and thank you for your support as well.