Saturday Night High


I once danced with Jim Dandy,
held his guitar to my breast
and felt electricity strum my skin.

Mixing tunes with Mary Jane
I was on a Saturday night high
watching rainbows spin cut glass.


Wired by Speed I fell into the envelope
of bodies hip to hip in a Cowtown Ballroom
where dilated eyes time stamped unity.

Long hair, bell bottom tall, and too young
to count tomorrow’s price I was saved
by angels building fences around addiction.


 ©Susie Clevenger 2016

Process Notes: The first stanza is metaphorical of course, but my husband and I did do some grunt work (carry in instruments) a few times when Black Oak Arkansas was in Kansas City.

Mary Jane is another name for marijuana which in the 70's I smoked in abundance.

Speed is another name for Amphetamine which we bought under street name Mini Whites. 

The Cowtown Ballroom: " Anyone of significance in the 1970s played at Cowtown, including the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Van Morrison, Frank Zappa, B.B. King and Linda Ronstandt. Ronstandt’s backing group would eventually become the Eagles.

I kept my guardian angels busy back then. Marijuana is not a gateway drug, choice is the gateway. When you hang with drug users it isn't much of a leap to become a user yourself. It was so easy to get amphetamines in the 70's. I even had a legal prescription for it...diet pills. When  I was first prescribed it my doctor told me to fast for three days. That was easy, the drug took away my appetite completely as well as any desire to sleep. "Wired" felt great until exhaustion begged for release. I am extremely blessed I never fell into addiction. I applaud those who have battled the monster to become clean and sober and my heart goes out to those trapped in the monster's eye.




Comments

brudberg said…
I have never been close to any other drug than alcohol and tobacco... I can so understand how you bless it today... I did understand all the differences, and would probably have tried if anybody offered me...
Hannah said…
Your honesty in your note is refreshing...words that many need to hear. Excellent poem...I especially enjoy the portion of carrying the electric guitar...I used to lug equipment for my husband's band back in the day, too. :)
Jim said…
A song from a former 'groupie girl.' I love it but am sorry that it is mostly true. And very glad you are away from that now.
In Differential Equations class I sat in the back row beside a barefoot girl who had a yellow dog waiting for her at the building steps. I/we used to ride my motorcycle amongst the hippie crowd on Saturday nights, sitting on the loading docks on the downtown Houston buildings. Or mingling with the crowd at Allen's landing. She made an "A" and made a "C", she was super smart.
But I never did smoke MJ. I did get hooked on Vicodin back in 2011 after knee surgery. I still get the feeling and it is hard to stop even now. I played a mean game of 42's while on it, about six months. My driving was not good.
..
rallentanda said…
Youth culture decides the drug of the decade. It seems so important as a young person to be seen as cool and being part of the group.Fortunately for me I was nerd...dope and harpsichord playing does not work together:)
Anonymous said…
Not as an exciting a life as you led, still in the late seventies (my early 20's) did all the local concerts. To see the "big guys" we had to drive to Boston (Billy Joel), Springfield (Eagles, Cat Stevens) Burlington (Bob Dylan/Joan Baez) Agree that pot is not the gateway drug, and back then it was more of a social thing. Pills were not a thing in the crowd I ran with. Am told today is a whole new ball-game. Back in the day you knew what you were getting, today it can be laced with anything. We were not wild, just kids of the times. The days of youth are fleeting, by 25 I was married and focusing on other things. Now it's just a pleasant but distant memory! Thanks for sharing, Susie!
Timoteo said…
Wow, Susie, you and I could have an interesting conversation!
Anonymous said…
What a growl that singer in Black Oak Arkansas had, like a hit of whiskey in the middle of a quaalude wallow ... How well I remember those days, writing about them myself this morning. Why some became addicts like myself and others wandered around all that and off into life, who knows: but the delicious invitation is here, all simply possibility, the Yes to every thing offered to sway in perfect sync to the band. Amen.
Gillena Cox said…
Thanks for taking us inside Susie, with plain talk and music accompaniments

I'm happy you dropped in to read my Tuesday share

much love...
Kerry O'Connor said…
I like the sense of a reminiscent tone in this poem, the freedom, if careless youthfulness. The poem does come with a warning though, of how many paths are open to the young and impressionable. I never tried a single drug my whole life, I didn't even take up tobacco, but certainly imbibed alcohol (within reason) as a student. As you say, it is a choice but environment has much to do with the choices one makes.
Marian said…
I appreciated your note as before I read it, I was pining for something more from you on this topic. Something meatier, I guess. Feels like you could write much more and I would read it if you did.