Poetry from Thailand

Original poetry written in and about rural Thailand.

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Location: Chong Khae, Nakhonsawan, Thailand

Saturday, June 11, 2016

Pine Island Drive In




You wrestled the speaker into the car,
then hung it in the driver’s side window.
It was bulky and felt empty like a football
helmet.  Its round volume control
was made of Bakelite – the same as old
phones – and seemed on the verge of
falling out of its socket.

Before it got dark the reddening sky
above the white screen was beautiful.
Children played on jungle gyms and
seesaws down there and happily waved
at their parents in 1950-ish cars with their
front wheels raised on berms, looking
like circus elephants about to rear up.

After it got dark, late comers trolled
the aisles like bottom fish with parking
lights on looking for a good spot.

Interior lights came on at intermission
as people headed for the concession
stand.  You didn’t want to look into
your neighbors’ car, but there they
were.

You left with windows rolled down,
following brilliant red taillights in
single file.  Back on the black open
road home, the world seemed empty,
and complete. 

FG        6/12/2016

This is about the only use for parking lights that I can remember.

I’m sure kids today would consider going to the drive-in a bizarre, low tech way to watch movies.

Is this poetry, I dunno.  But I seem to be on a poetry is memory kick and with this definition, it probably is.  I found a couple of pictures of the Pine Island Drive In on the net.  I guess this made me want to write this.