We Used To Neck Poem by gershon hepner

When we were young we used to neck,
if British we would snog,
which led to petting, which would wreck
platonic dialogue,
we’d kiss, but mostly on the lips,
and wouldn’t use the tongue
except to make some smart-ass quips
concerning those less young
than us. We wouldn’t dream of going
to bed before we’d married,
those weren’t the oats that we were sowing,
as such thoughts always miscarried,
but nowadays the world has changed,
and people hook and link,
up like the market which has ranged
more down than up, I think.
This hooking up is different from
the necking once upon
a time we would indulge in; mom
and pop were never gone
when we would hang around and they
made quite sure we remained
apart until the wedding day,
and none of us complained.
How lucky are our children now,
for linking up is better
than necking––have I told you how
we needed no French letter
those days when we would neck, at least
until we got engaged,
of course the rabbi and the priest
would have been enraged,
but no one told them as I now
am telling you––we all
were holier, I think, than thou,
as far as I recall,
although my memory is shot
about some details. Men
and women may have done a lot
far more than necking then.

Inspired by a scene in “Holiday Affair, ” where the widowed Janet Leigh falls in love with Robert Mitchum, and has to listen to her boyfriend suggesting that they might spend the evening “necking on the sofa”.


12/25/08