A Limerick For Tess

George Tooker, self-portrait

for Magpie Tales

George was a painter of trapped people with sad faces
He wrapped himself in anxiety and ignored the graces
His portrait with a shell
Told his story very well
While his act of art became quite efficacious

Bathers

Bathers, 1950 by George Tooker

A prompt from Magpie Tales

*I see you.  

Watching us. 

Hiding behind your jelly roll hair trying to look cool with weed hanging out of your mouth. Your chrome-plated image doesn't impress me.  

Sister Rosemary warned us about boys like you.  Hot-rodders, she called them.  Sister Rosemary blushed as she told us in class how we could be taken advantage of by boys. Some of the girls giggled and whispered as if it was a good thing.  

Back seat bingo was a game I didn't play so matter how well you can burn rubber. You don't razz my berries.

You'd better split unless your cruising for a bruising.  I hear Sister Rosemary coming. She'll go ape if she finds you here...looking at us.

*If you weren't around during the fifties, go here to understand the slang.