A WHOLE LOTTA SHAKIN’ GOIN’ ON............................................................................................MARJORIE MADDOX

A Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On

Poem by Marjorie Maddox

Yeah, not just fingers, but hands, shoulders, torso, limbs, Good Golly,

Miss Molly, everything swings up and over the ivories, blasting away the past

with the lit stick of boogie-woogie and blues rolled up in rock that explodes

from his lipsticked lips crackling with Slippin’ and Slidin’ and Tutti Frutti

like they own the joint, ‘cause they do. Nah, nothing

little ‘bout his lungs wailing Long Tall Sally, nothing

little ‘bout that pompadoured dude blowing the lid off the fifties.

Professor of English and Creative Writing at Lock Haven University, Marjorie Maddox has published eleven collections of poetry (including Local News from Someplace Else), the short story collection What She Was Saying, and four children's books. She is co-editor of Common Wealth: Contemporary Poets on Pennsylvania (Penn State Press). Please see www.marjoriemaddox.com.