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