Denny’s, America’s Diner
Kristen and I go there for privacy
To discuss the drama in the house
To plot the revolution
To find a way to take back our home
From the Lodgers we had invited in.
I always order, except when I don’t
The Everyday Slam (which sounds like a punk dance)
Whole wheat pancakes
Sugarless Syrup
Sausage,not bacon
Bacon isn’t really food I say,
to Kristen’s annoyance.
She likes the taste of bacon
but won’t let me get it for her.
Scrambled eggs with steak sauce instead of Ketchup.
Just to class things up.
Over the years we have seen the economy change
The servers are newer hires who don’t last as long as the veterans,
Who moved on after their hours were cut.
To avoid giving them bennies.
Now the dramatic couple and their sweet teenager are gone,
Replaced by an quiet, amiable fellow
The house is quiet.
We eat at home more.
Especially since my blood sugar edged up.
I no longer eat pancakes.
Denny’s, America’s Diner.”
Somehow we caught on
The food wasn’t that great,
nor the service
nor the atmosphere,
It was the company we kept all along.
When I finished reading “at the Diner”, I realized that you were the same author of “Rice Paddies”-well done, tewo very different by extraordinary poems. I’m still going to comment about “At the Diner”- I loved it. Conversational, observational and good use of metaphor… I loved the lines about using steak sauce instead of ketchup…just to “class things up.” Great line! I love these lines too…”Kristen and I go there for privacy
To discuss the drama in the house
To plot the revolution” You have a gift. Keep writing! Love it!
I enjoyed this poem, the story inside the mix.
Thank you, Danielle, for the appreciation.
I just read it again, thanks to you and Ingrid Exner, and it is actually much better than I expected or intended. It is wonderful having people open up my own stuff (too prerentious to call it “my work”) for me.
This seems to be a case of a prompt that worked.