Eleanor Higgins

THE BIG SHOW

(Mommy, what did you do in the war?)

warm-up bands
warm us up
through pot clouds
we wait
now calmly

without knowing why,
we all stand up
there is banging
and feedback,
other false alarms
I can’t remember

and from the black,
glints flicker off metal
we stand, and…blink
then

they are already there
glittering
floodlights flash
there is yelling
and the spilling of drinks

a base drum thuds
screeches into lead guitar’s solo
spiderweb intricate

lead singer tosses
a sequined shirt
we roar too loud to hear the music
hissing metal feedback
drowns the melody

but we sing in unison anyway

the lead guitar plinks a jellyroll finale
on heart strings
throws a kiss just to you and

Flood lights
find your ”Heavy Metal” jacket
midget steps along
a fat column of fans

fanning out
coming down



THE BIG SHOW 2

(Daddy, what did you do in the war?)

radio music
warms us up
through pot clouds
we wait
now calmly

without knowing why,
we all stand up
there is banging
and feedback,
other false alarms
I can’t remember

and from the black,
glints flicker off metal
we stand, and…blink
then

they are already there
glittering
floodlights flash
there is yelling
and the spilling of whiskey

a mortar thuds
screeches into our foxhole trenches
spiderweb intricate

lead sergeant tosses
a bloody grenade belt
explodes too loud to hear their bombs
hissing metal feedback
drowns our shooting

but we fire in unison anyway

the lead corporal dodges a tracer
with a jellyroll roll
onto the dirt road
throws a come-on wave to us and

flash lights
find your heavy metal jacket
midget steps along
a fat column of noncoms

fanning out
coming down