Hey Ama Ma Ma! (A Poem by Cathy Gruman)

We're cruising down Huntington Drive on a Wednesday afternoon
San Gabriels as a backdrop and no particular place to go.
You, in corduroys and navy blue Vans
bouncing in your car seat
to the tune of Life in a Northern Town
and you were singin'
Hey Ama ma ma!
Hey Ama ma ma!
Ah ah ah ah ahhhhhhhh...
and I was smiling from the inside out
The song went,
"A Salvation Army band played,
and the children drank lemonade
and the morning lasted all day, all day...
Life in a Northern Town.
Bashing around town that day,
post office, McDonald's and the park,
stopping for vanilla ice cream.
I plopped you in your car seat
vanilla cone clinched in your hand
and you committed to the feast.
Moments later I looked back to see the glorious sight
of you eating your ice cream from the cone up,
a big gaping crater at the bottom
promises of a white snow avalanche.
The mountain of vanilla sat on top tilting like the Leaning Tower of Pisa.
"Hi" was your expression and you got back to business,
eating your cone from bottom up
and I was smiling from the inside out,
like today when I think of you
but somewhat desparately as that time is gone.
Our worlds have pulled apart slowly, as they should,
as you go your own way,
singing your own new tunes;
bashing around with your beloved one.
Your ice cream cones have become bon appetites on 4th Street
and cool drinks downtown.
Errands are now shows and parties from Long Beach to L.A.
But that day of long ago remains a permanent stain
of a million smiles from the inside out
as I recall your little voice, face and body singing
Hey Ama ma ma! Hey Ama ma ma!
Ah ah ah ah ahhhhhh...
to the tune of
Life in a Northern Town.