Pearl Jam themed poem in new book
Damiens
Posts: 771
This poem appeared in my new collection "November and Everything After" It's my valentine to Pearl Jam, wanted to share it with all you guys so you don't have to go to Amazon to buy the book to read it. With PJ20 on the horizon it seemed fitting to check the rearview a little...
Evenflow
It’s 1991
Fall
I’m in my basement
Listening for the first time to this
Unknown band out of Seattle
They’re named Pearl Jam
Track 2, even flow, comes on…
Everything changes for me
In a basement
In the fall of 1991
It’s 1995
Spring
I’m at a planetarium
With Jayme, even flow is blasting as
Lasers beam images on the ceiling
We’re wearing 3-D glasses
I hear a fool screaming with joy
Jayme tells me I’m a spaz
I breath in the fog machine smoke deep
And tell her I love her
It’s 1992
Winter
For the first time
I’m watching the video for even flow
Pearl Jam is huge now
I watch Eddie Vedder climb up the balcony
And dive fearlessly into the crowd below
I spill my Mountain Dew in awe
It’s 1998
Summer
I’m in St. Louis
With Jayme, Whitt and Whitt’s girlfriend
We drove all night
It’s their first Pearl Jam show
At one point Eddie wears a construction hat
Jayme says he’s funny
Whitt almost kicks a guy’s ass for pushing his girl
I scream myself hoarse
It’s 1994
Spring
Pearl Jam is playing on SNL
They get three songs instead of two because they’re the Biggest band in the world now
I’m not at home watching
I’m at a prom and not even mine
I met a girl at a speech tournament
She asked me to prom
Her name is Jayme
She likes Madonna and Arlo Gutherie
I can’t see how it’s going to work
I pray my brother remembers to tape SNL
Maybe they’ll play even flow…
Is this girl trying to kiss me?!
Everything changes for me
At a prom
In 1994
It’s 2000
Fall
Lubbock, Texas
Jayme and I have moved here
Pearl Jam is in front of us
Singing a Buddy Holly song
Jayme and I scream from the front row
In an hour Eddie will pull Jayme up on stage
Her Courtney Cox to his Bruce Springsteen
Jayme will take bows with the band and get her picture with Ed
I will scream myself hoarse
Telling Jayme and Pearl Jam I love them
It’s 1995
Summer
Red Rocks
With Dave, I’ve never seen Pearl Jam before
Did Eddie just ride out on stage on a bicycle?
It’s 2003
Summer
Road trip to Oklahoma City
I write “Pearl Jam Forever” on the side of my car in Spirit Foam not realizing that it’s made specifically for windows
It stains the paint, our car says “Pearl Jam Forever” forever Jayme sighs
It’s 1999
Summer
My wedding
Jayme doesn’t let me play even flow
As we run out of the church
It’s 1998
Summer
Fiddler’s Green, Denver
With Aaron, a girl has just implied
She’ll do anything for our front row tickets
I turn her down instantly, Aaron sighs
It’s 2006, I’m in Mountainview with Jayme
It’s 200o, I’m in Albuquerque with Holder
It’s 2009, I’m in San Diego with a couple from Florida
I met on the Pearl Jam message boards
It’s 2003, I’m in San Antonio with Jayme
It’s 2003, I’m in Council Bluffs with Dustin
It’s 2008, I’m in Santa Cruz with Holder
It’s 2004, I’m in Toledo with Pat
It’s 2006, I’m in Los Angeles with Doug
It’s 2008, I’m in Santa Barbara, I meet Eddie Vedder
It’s 2007
Summer
3 a.m., I’m home with Carter
Warming up his bottle
He stares at me in my arm
My wrist acts as Goldilocks, confirms the milk is
Just right
My son drinks the bottle and I notice
The bottle says “even flow”
I smile and quietly put on a Pearl Jam record
Everything has changed for me
It’s 2008
Spring
VH1 is doing a classic rock weekend
Carter is taking steps with more confidence
Than his 10 months should allow
The video for even flow comes on
Carter watches the colors and bobs to the beat
Eddie climbs the balcony again, as he has for the last
One hundred times I’ve watched this video
Carter giggles
Jayme smiles
Eddie leaps
I feel Mr. Vedder’s mid-air stillness
His peace
This is our life here in these final days of rock and roll
Jayme
Carter
Me
We take Eddie’s lead
We all dive in
© 2011 Damien Stednitz
Evenflow
It’s 1991
Fall
I’m in my basement
Listening for the first time to this
Unknown band out of Seattle
They’re named Pearl Jam
Track 2, even flow, comes on…
Everything changes for me
In a basement
In the fall of 1991
It’s 1995
Spring
I’m at a planetarium
With Jayme, even flow is blasting as
Lasers beam images on the ceiling
We’re wearing 3-D glasses
I hear a fool screaming with joy
Jayme tells me I’m a spaz
I breath in the fog machine smoke deep
And tell her I love her
It’s 1992
Winter
For the first time
I’m watching the video for even flow
Pearl Jam is huge now
I watch Eddie Vedder climb up the balcony
And dive fearlessly into the crowd below
I spill my Mountain Dew in awe
It’s 1998
Summer
I’m in St. Louis
With Jayme, Whitt and Whitt’s girlfriend
We drove all night
It’s their first Pearl Jam show
At one point Eddie wears a construction hat
Jayme says he’s funny
Whitt almost kicks a guy’s ass for pushing his girl
I scream myself hoarse
It’s 1994
Spring
Pearl Jam is playing on SNL
They get three songs instead of two because they’re the Biggest band in the world now
I’m not at home watching
I’m at a prom and not even mine
I met a girl at a speech tournament
She asked me to prom
Her name is Jayme
She likes Madonna and Arlo Gutherie
I can’t see how it’s going to work
I pray my brother remembers to tape SNL
Maybe they’ll play even flow…
Is this girl trying to kiss me?!
Everything changes for me
At a prom
In 1994
It’s 2000
Fall
Lubbock, Texas
Jayme and I have moved here
Pearl Jam is in front of us
Singing a Buddy Holly song
Jayme and I scream from the front row
In an hour Eddie will pull Jayme up on stage
Her Courtney Cox to his Bruce Springsteen
Jayme will take bows with the band and get her picture with Ed
I will scream myself hoarse
Telling Jayme and Pearl Jam I love them
It’s 1995
Summer
Red Rocks
With Dave, I’ve never seen Pearl Jam before
Did Eddie just ride out on stage on a bicycle?
It’s 2003
Summer
Road trip to Oklahoma City
I write “Pearl Jam Forever” on the side of my car in Spirit Foam not realizing that it’s made specifically for windows
It stains the paint, our car says “Pearl Jam Forever” forever Jayme sighs
It’s 1999
Summer
My wedding
Jayme doesn’t let me play even flow
As we run out of the church
It’s 1998
Summer
Fiddler’s Green, Denver
With Aaron, a girl has just implied
She’ll do anything for our front row tickets
I turn her down instantly, Aaron sighs
It’s 2006, I’m in Mountainview with Jayme
It’s 200o, I’m in Albuquerque with Holder
It’s 2009, I’m in San Diego with a couple from Florida
I met on the Pearl Jam message boards
It’s 2003, I’m in San Antonio with Jayme
It’s 2003, I’m in Council Bluffs with Dustin
It’s 2008, I’m in Santa Cruz with Holder
It’s 2004, I’m in Toledo with Pat
It’s 2006, I’m in Los Angeles with Doug
It’s 2008, I’m in Santa Barbara, I meet Eddie Vedder
It’s 2007
Summer
3 a.m., I’m home with Carter
Warming up his bottle
He stares at me in my arm
My wrist acts as Goldilocks, confirms the milk is
Just right
My son drinks the bottle and I notice
The bottle says “even flow”
I smile and quietly put on a Pearl Jam record
Everything has changed for me
It’s 2008
Spring
VH1 is doing a classic rock weekend
Carter is taking steps with more confidence
Than his 10 months should allow
The video for even flow comes on
Carter watches the colors and bobs to the beat
Eddie climbs the balcony again, as he has for the last
One hundred times I’ve watched this video
Carter giggles
Jayme smiles
Eddie leaps
I feel Mr. Vedder’s mid-air stillness
His peace
This is our life here in these final days of rock and roll
Jayme
Carter
Me
We take Eddie’s lead
We all dive in
© 2011 Damien Stednitz
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