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Robert Lindner
Vernon mentioned Oakton School in reference to Mike Melton.
That led me to try to write a poem about my times there.
But I could not recall much other than a certain pretty girl.
"Without them what would litlle boys do?"
Oakton School Memories
“Every little breeze seems to whisper Louise.
Birds in the trees seem to twitter Louise."
Maurice Chevalier from Innocents in Paris (1929)
A dime was worth a dime,
In Oakton School, once upon a time,
I was a boy of ten
In the fifth grade and then
I became eleven
In sixth grade, and all I recall is I’m
Square dancing with Louise.
I got to give her lovely hands a squeeze,
When the call was to swing
Or promenade. We’d sing
Too, but remembering
Old times is like swinging on a trapeze.
It’s hard to find balance
Between what happened and what you, by chance
May recall. Memories
Fade. But times with Louise
As my dance partner please
Me, as I think of the calls of the square dance,
And I remember I
Was happy, when we danced, since I was shy
And Louise was pretty,
And Louise seemed to be
Fine with dancing with me.
But this happened long ago and my
Memory’s not that good,
But after sixty-six years, no one would
Expect its perfection.
But she’s my connection
To the dance direction
Of honor your partner. And no one could
Fail to do that. We’d swing,
Hold hands and promenade round the ring.
Louise and square dancing
Is worth remembering
When I am recalling
Times at Oakton School because they’re something
To write a poem for.
Mostly, I think of Louise, but there’s more
Than just our promenade.
In memories that fade.
I recall my sixth grade
Teacher because of the name she’d deplore.
She was called “mad Mildred.”
But I’m sure that I never would have said
That. But I remember
Mrs. Nichols. Other
Students must have called her
That because it’s there, planted in my head.
It may be that her name
And that of my Junior High are the same.
Since Nichols School would be
After Oakton for me.
But in my memory
Of Oakton School, the poetry became
A square dance and the call
Not my teachers or wandering the hall
Because of sweet Louise,
Which every little breeze
And birds in the trees
And Maurice would sing her name. So that’s all
I recall about my
Time in the fifth and sixth grade, as I try
To remember Oakton
School. Because I had fun
When I danced with someone
Named Louise, she is the one thing that I
Remember well. But then
Maurice Chevalier would say, “Thank Heaven
For little girls.” Because
They can add to, what was,
My old memory’s flaws
When I look back to those old times again.
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