Memories Of Yesterday... Poem by Marie WardAlonge

It's been thirty (30) years since we walked down that hall.
Some of us were short, average, and some of us stood tall.
It was Central High and we represented the senior class.
We were full of dreams I could tell.
As we persevere, we were eager to hear the ringing of that last bell.

However, teachers, subjects, and family
life we had to endure.
We had our respected friends.
We knew we could count on for sure.

There were some of my classmates that I admired.
Let me tell you about them without telling
a lie.

There was Shirley D. whom I thought was the most popular girl in school

With great love, I missed her perfect pie face.
However, C.C. was the smoothest girl as
she was cool.
Doreen D. was voted the prettiest girl.
Jaybo with those dreamful eyes was lucky
enough to rock her world.
I wanted them to go far.
They were in love and they were our shining stars.

Most of us were good dressers-I don't know who was the best.
My money would have been on C.C.
Her clothes left me in awe as she left
behind the rest.

There was my friend's boyfriend, Larry S.
He was fun and creative.
We lost him too soon-what a sorrow.
Their son would go on to be one of the Hollywood stars of tomorrow.

I remember my best friend Sharon W.
We sat on my front porch and we talked about our dreams.
She was one of the smartest girls I knew.
I figured she would rise to the top of the cream.

There was my other best friend, Jimmy L.
who hung out with the girls and me.
We had some of the best times going from town to town.
We were the 4 amigos that people from
other places wanted to be around.

James P., James M., Sylvester A. Jimmy C., and the two David P's I noticed they
observed a lot and appeared to be philosophically profound.
They seemed to know what were right and wrong in the world while some of us were
still trying to find our common ground.

Everett H. was handsome and I used to love to hear him speak.

He was our class president and he has a pulse on the community.
I thought he would one day teach.

George B. I thought was wickedly enticing and probably could talk one into anything.
I heard he is now enforcing the law.
He became a cop and enjoying all the glory and honor it brings.

Now, there was David W.
I saw him in a different world.
He was highly intelligent-He was a Bootsy Collins music lover.
He was the one that started me to appreciate all kinds of music as I later discovered.

There was Viola R. who was a track star.
She was voted girl with the best wit.
You could not outrun, outtalk, nor outthink her.
She had true grit.

There was Mattie Sue.
I loved to hear her laugh.
It was just contagious and like Shirley D.
to be around them was such a joy.
They were the center of attention.
To have fun, you didn't have to be around a boy.

There was a girl named Linda.
I thought with Annie J., Hamer, and me she should have been on the cheerleading
squad.
That girl could move her hips.
How could she do all those flips?

To Teresa W. and Rita T., I thank you for taking me to the school activities and later with Rita, those football games as
well as C.C.

You made a little country girl see a little bit more in becoming all she could
be.

Teresa, I also thank you and Melvin B. for being my dance partners with those delightful skits.
We came up with some wonderful routines and they were always hits.

Jackie S. was one of the tallest girls in
school.
She would not let you forget it.
With good reason, she was a good basketball player and she knew she was the
sh*t.

To all my other friends, Jackie J., Diana H., Linda D., Denise L., and Carolyn M. I
wish you the best.
I am so glad we made it through all those tests.

I miss you Harry S.
May God continue to hold you close.
As why you were taken from us so early, no one knows.

To all my classmates, I love you most.
You were an interesting but misunderstood cast and that I can boast.

For Daisy J., let me tell you why I kept trying.
Because when you stop trying, you start
dying.

Back in the day, the other classes would come up to me and say your senior class is
so boring.
They don't ever want to participate.
Well, I didn't hate.
I would tell them that I participated to
represent my class in a positive way.

Now, look at you today.
Depending on no one else,
I believe you have learnt to represent yourself.

As for me, I was voted the best girl
dancer and the girl with the best sense of humor.

I followed my dreams and went to Hollywood.
I helped my mother to leave town.
We moved back to Iowa.

Presently, I live in Vegas.
As for Hollywood,
I am so glad it never came back around.
I became a poet among others.
I married a CEO.
He was not a snore.
Who could ask for more?

I say thank you to the good teachers—Mrs. Lucas, Ms. Sims, and Ms. Miller.
Thank you for making that difference.

Hail to thee, Ole Central High.
More bounce to the ounce baby.
Until next time….for now, I say goodbye.