This one was originally published at Eskimo Pie

The Reflex

The lead guitarist’s butterfly collar
framed the half opened polyester shirt
exposing the sable chest hair that
matched his fuzzy head.
Shiny silver dress slit high
up the lead singer’s
thigh as she begins
her scorching rendition
of Gloria Gaynor.

I will survive
Oh, as long as I know …

It reminds of my mother’s obsession with

All oldies – all of the time

Songs that tormented my youth
with a quick rotation of the radio dial.

Love, love me do…

The lyrics of one Beatles song or another—
nothing but a good oldie would do for my mother.

As I sat watching the misfit 70’s band
leave the stage at the dive bar of my college existence
where I often drank after creative writing workshops—
sometimes more than others, sometimes harder than others—
the thoughts of the funky polyester pants dissipate
and memories of my mother’s radio fade
giving way to another time when I was young,
and Duran Duran’s “The Reflex”
made everything seem so much easier.