it was 4th of July way long ago,
why we were celebrating, I surely did not know.
Barbeque at our neighbor's yard, hot and humid too..
I remember the ketchup bottle, full, brand new!
made of glass, not very large,
and those aluminum tumblers held the drinks!
red, gold, blue, green, icy to the touch,
almost obscene!
charcoal briquettes heated the meat,
49 cent flip flops, covered the soles of our feet.
I tasted beer from my uncles cup,
made believe that I liked it~
almost threw up.
all was vague in my mind , cloudy, gray..
all that is clear I remembered today...
the glass ketchup bottle on the table in center.
these days they are plastic, to be sarcastic...
why was it called CATSUP years ago?
not anymore, the word has been deleted..
certain things have retreated.
I remember, that glass bottle,
souped up cars roaring ~full throtlle!
free fireworks, everyone went,
doors unlocked , no threat of an event..
theft, or robbery...ha ha ! what a lark!
we all wer at the field, the stadium, the park.
simpler times, filled with trust, less lust,
forever faded are the days, the simpler ways..
of the glass bottle.

07/03/2006