A darkened room
Whirr whirr clickety click of ratchets paying out the film
dust motes dancing in a narrow beam of light.
How we looked then-- pantominers,
hamming it up, trying to be comical.
Children fat in clumsy snowsuits frolicing in new-fallen snow
now they have children of their own
they sit on the floor squealing at their little daddy
fat in a clumsy snowsuit
floundering in snowdrifts.
And my wife skating at a resort in the Catskills
she wears a blue and white ski suit her hair is black and flat
against her head that was the style then she is not very graceful
the sun is bright.
Now they have a rink at that place but
in those days it was just a pond
outside in the cold and
she is all rosy from the cold and
just having one hell of a good time
round and round on the ice.
Bright wintry day calls us away swift in our flight la de da da
da...
A scene of me too I had rented skates that didn't fit and
my ankles collapsed and
there I am with my arms windmilling my
hair was black then and
I'm losing it my balance not
my hair that came later and
finally there I am flat on my belly looking
up smiling wryly into the camera what a
comedian.
Whirr whirr clickety click la la la
And later she asked me, Did you get excited
seeing me so young and pretty,
skating like Sonja Henie?
Sonja Henie: Norwegian dimple,
Olympics Goldie.
'28, '32, and '36,
at St. Moritz, Lake Placid, and Garmisch-Partenkirchen,
respectively.
(Dined with Der Fuhrer at Berchtesgaden.)
Became a star in flicks,
twinkled on the ice,
married thrice.
Whirr whirr clickety clicks
First of all, I responded,
As to your skating in that movie,
I have to admit that it broke my heart
(I didn't say that)
but did say that,
Comparing yourself to Sonja Henie is a bit large.
As to your prettiness--
To me, you are always as beautiful as ever,
sealing my lies with kisses on her eyes.
(I am not exactly a liar.
One must allow here and there
for a little largesse.)
Dust motes dancing
Whirr whirr clickety click of ratchets
paying out the film.
She died of leukemia, you know?
Who?
Who are we talking about, Hon? Sonja.
Sonja Henie had leukemia
and died
on a flight to Oslo.
Oh.