Beatles Songs Live on for National Poetry Month 2009

Picking Strawberries Forever in My Octopus Garden with Lucy

Sheri Fresonke Harper
Knees stained red and clogged with muck,
I carried my flat loaded to the brim with fruit,
while the radio played "Strawberry Fields Forever."

My fringe leather vest and mini-skirt
swirled as I dance and cast my eyes at boys
who just "Wanna Hold Your Hand".

We giggled at peace, love, and tye-died beatniks,
while my friend packed to find "An Octopus Garden" in the sun,
after her father was laid off at Boeing.

And the sampling of drugs and overdose deaths
belied the promise of "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds"
while my uncle drove truck in the Vietnam war.

I was covered with paint from jeans to tee,
while the radio played "Imagine" and I silkscreened
and then shed tears at the announcment Lennon was dead.

Now today's troubles seem more of just the same,
while I sing "Yesterday, all my troubles seemed so far away".
I have no regrets. The Beatles provide a heartfelt beat.

Music is such a gift of humanity, memory deep to the roots,
we sing our sorrows and sing our love,
and remember the times of old and hopes of youth.

Published by Sheri Fresonke Harper

Sheri works as a freelance writer, novelist and poet. She worked in the aviation industry at the Port of Seattle and Boeing Company for 20 years as a systems analyst/architect where she edited and wrote over...   View profile

The Beatles were one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed bands in the history of popular music, selling over one billion records internationally.

11 Comments

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  • R. Elizabeth C. Kitchen (Rose) 4/30/2009

    Awesome job. I absolutely love the Beatles.

  • Sheryl Young 4/13/2009

    The Beatles live on. Best music in modern history.

  • Sherri Granato 4/10/2009

    Even though I am not a Beatles fan, I recognize good work when I see it. :)

  • Linda Ann Nickerson 4/10/2009

    Ah . . . the LONG AND WINDING ROAD of Beatlemania. I thought about doing my music poem on them, but chose an even older classic. ;-)

  • Sherry W 4/10/2009

    SO creative and a great mood piece!

  • Rebecca Wrenn 4/10/2009

    Sheri, I loved it! I still remember the night I saw the Beatles live for the first time on the Ed Sullivan Show. Your poem, Beatles Songs Live on for National Poetry Month 2009, brought back a lot of (mostly fond) memories. Thanks for sharing! (^;^)

  • Carol Roach 4/9/2009

    lovely

  • Lori Piper 4/9/2009

    I loved this! great job!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • CJ Mathis 4/9/2009

    This made me laugh and cry I was a beatles fan and loved them with all my heart.

  • Michael Segers 4/9/2009

    :~}

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