Poetry
72 pages
5 Stars
Somehow, I missed a lot of the Elvis hysteria when I was a
kid—probably because my best friend was so freaky over him, I felt honor bound
to go the other way.
It wasn't until I was in the military, and stationed in
Germany, and met his old Sergeant (Elvis was a civilian again by that time) and
learned some tales about him that made me, belated as it was, an Elvis fan. (Did
you know he put his military pay, all $78.50 of it, in a mayonnaise jar he
brought from the mess hall and kept on his wall locker. He told the guys in his
barracks if they needed some, take it, and pay it back as they could. He never
counted it, and when he was discharged, he took the jar down to the First
Sergeant and told him to use the money for the guys. On holidays, he would
volunteer for guard duty or KP duty, to let one of the married guys spend the
time with their family.)
My sister read this book, and raved about it, so I had to
try it. I'm so glad I did. The poetry flows, from one to the next. I strongly
suggest you read it straight through, as it becomes a narrative. Though I never
kissed his poster (I never had one), I can remember my girl friend swooning and
practicing her fainting onto her bed, every time the radio played one of his
songs.
I remember Sputnik, and when his mama died, and the old-time
rock and roll songs and singers. There was much in this book, in these poems I
could, and did, relate too. Rod Stewart and "Maggie Mae" is here, the
Big Bopper and his line, "baby, you know what I like." And, of
course, Elvis and the women who love him—still and forever.
This is a fun book, delightful poem, accessible to all, even
those who don't normally read poetry.
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