When we were only six years old, you lived just down the street
And, though I wasn't much on girls, I thought you pretty neat.
You always had a happy smile; your hair hung down in curls.
You liked to punch and run around, not like the other girls.
When we were nine, my dad got transferred down to Cooper's Glen.
I said goodbye, not knowing I would not see you again.
I sit here now, at fifty, and your face comes into view
I wonder how you've lived your life - How are you, Jenny Lou?
Did you do well in high school? I remember you were smart.
Did you perfect that happy smile to break a million hearts?
Or were you more the shy type, one who never spoke at all
Who buried feelings strong and deep behind a concrete wall?
How often did you fall in love? Were you married? Surely so
And, if the marriage ended, did he leave - or did you go?
Did you spend nights crying hopelessly to take the pain away
Or did you find that perfect man that you're still with today?
Did you have any children? Was the childbirth smooth or hard?
Did you grow up religious...go to church and praise the Lord?
Do you still have that smile I loved when you were only six
Or are you scarred by broken dreams not even time can fix?
Did you grow to be beautiful? I remember as a child
The world seemed to be nicer each and every time you smiled.
Or did things not turn out so well for that child I once knew
And so I wonder, once again, how are you, Jenny Lou?
I know what's happened in my life - events that I've gone through,
The joys, the woes, and on it goes....the death and sickness, too.
We all have hills to conquer in our effort to survive.
Had you had strength to conquer yours? Are you even still alive?
I can't believe that, somehow, after forty years has passed
Your smiling face and bouncing curls have come to mind at last.
I wonder if you've thought of me for some brief spell or two
Recalling happy times we had - How are you, Jenny Lou?
Author notes
Written August 1st, 2003
In a list
What did you think
Comments
1 - 17 of 17
-
Great!!!
Another great piece!!!
I'm sure she has thought of you!!!!
Amazing the impact people have on our life...
After such a time has passed the memories are still there...
Best Wishes
~Tracey~
-
relative nothing in life, i am yet to have such a jenny lou, but this was written beautifully, its only the second poem i have read from you, but its inspiring, its really ...well i don't know exactly, but i'm awe struck. im not much on words, but take it from my heart, that this is just great-rk
-
I think we all have a Jenny Lou or a Johnny in our childhood. Mine was JP... 2nd grade, ( I never knew what the initials JP were for.) But he was my very first boyfriend and I was convinced he was in love with me, as I was with him
God, that was nearly 60 years ago !!!! But every once in awhile I think of him...and wnnder what his life has been like. He lived in Crockett, Texas and we went to school together for only a short time because my family lived there for just a little while. My dad was born and raised there, though and we must have been there between military assignments or something.
I love this poem, it's so sweet and brings back the simple innocence of early childhood ...told in your own special way.
And I love the background Can I borrow it sometime?
Dee -
wow, this is very very very sweet. and cute!
and you touched my heart and the background does wonders but the poem does even more wonders
-
I am crying. This is sooo tear jerking. It just so perfectly says what I have sometimes wondered about my childhood friends. Balladeer, you are a rhymer and poet!!
-
FIVE STAR *****TRIPLE A+++PLUS
Hi Balladeer. I absolutely adore your poem "How Are You, Jenny Lou." How grand to have somebody still remember you and reflect on you and ponder your life with such fond sentiment.. We all should be so lucky to have one person feel this way about us as lucky Jenny Lou does in you. Wow! I see why you have ten gold trophies, four bronze and Now four silver since your "Dear Mr. Editor" excellent poem. NB: FABULOUS GRAPHICS TOO. Godspeed and best wishes and always Balladeer.
Edited on Aug 03, 7:04 p.m. because ''. -
This is wonderful And a breath of fresh air on a not so great day for me. It's nice to see it in words, that people really don't forget. Makes me wonder who remembers me ..and makes me remember some people from my own past. Thank you for this
-
that is such a good poem i like how the person is old and has lived his life and now is reminiscing back to his childhood and his first crush it is reall y good keep up the work
-
hmmmm...funny how we'll wonder about someone years or decades later... this was just superb in rhyme and format. I equally loved the sentiment. ~~~Val
-
Oh, what a delicious little pondering. It's not often a person can find out the answer to all these questions. It's like a grown up Charlie Brown wondering what became of the little red headed girl, I really enjoyed it.
-
This poem felt to me like a song .. the flow was complex enough not to be completly predictable, but it had a rhythm to it that brought life to the "cuteness" and the "sweetness" inherent in such memories. Not only was your imagery, ("Your smiling face and bouncing curls have come to mind at last.") easy to envision, but the entire meaning was quite clear, without being over-done.
And, aside from all the technical things that you did perfectly, this poem is SOO CUUUTTEE!! and so sweet! It had me smiling the entire time, and remembering all the little friends I used to have as a (even younger then I am now, mind) child.
Thank you for posting this poem, we don't see enough like it here, and I'm looking forward to seeing more from you in the hopefully near future! -
This poem is something I can relate to. I've often wondered what has become of friends of mine who've moved or that I've had to leave behind.
This poem flows without flaw and is very touching. Wonderful write.
-
Wonderful! bravo! simply AMAZING!
this was so great, wow...i cant get over it! loved the rhymes, the structure....wow!
*~!)o(Azul Corte Katze)o(!~* -
Wonderful Poem!
As always, So expertly done! I loved the story, and think back upon years gone by too fast, of friendships I thought would last, and wonder where life has cast, loved, little mates from the past.*rose* *Di*
Edited on Aug 02, 3:45 because ''. -
Lovely poem, great background too! Perfect for the write, it fits well. I remember my boyfriend in kindergarten, (yes i had one!) and his name was Tommy.I remember asking my mother to take a picture of us together on the last day of school. Now, when I look at that picture, I get so tickled, I was about two heads taller than that little boy, and didn't even know it! Of course, I never saw him again after that year, but I loved Tommy so! I started early. lol This is a wonderful little poem about such sweet puppy love, innocence, long lost friends, too bad we don't know in those early years to ask for forwarding addresses! Now our kids can ask for email addys! Thanks for sharing, great story!
~ becky
-
ah... sweet Jenny Lou. Forever imortalized by her loving Balladeer.
such a sweet write Michael... I loved it. I wish I had known you when I was 6.
Hugs.. and sweet dreams
Mary Ann -
Perfect!
I absolutely ADORE this! The story is so sweet! I think that we all look back on our childhood and wonder whatever happend to the one that was our first "crush" or case of "puppy love." You captured the whole essence of it so perfectly! I also love this background that you used! Another flawless, brilliant gift springs forth from your pen! Thank you!
Adding your comment:
1 - 17 of 17
