School Dance

As much as things have changed in life, one veritable truth
is that when boys drink alcohol, they will become uncouth.
This truth first became evident to me at school dances
as all the shy boys lined the wall, estimating their chances
and we wallflowers, ill-at-ease, sat lined up on our chairs
trying to pretend we were ignoring all their stares.

We tittered and we giggled and if we knew the song
the school band was playing, we’d try to sing along.
But chances are that now and then, our eyes would shift their glance
to try to see our prospects for being asked to dance.
Time and again we knew for sure there wasn’t any chance
that this would be the evening we experienced romance.

Until, that is, the gym door opened with a bang
and the school bad boy entered with his gang.
The bottle that he carried was passed from hand to hand
from schoolboy to schoolboy and finally, to the band,
and suddenly the music got somewhat more loud
as our shy young classmates became a raucous crowd.

To our great satisfaction, each boy then took his chance
in asking every one of us if we would like to dance.
And all we prim maids in a row needed no incitement
of nips of raw grain alcohol to add to our excitement.
We jitterbugged and slow danced. We twisted and we bopped.
We gyrated to every song until the music stopped.

That night became a legend we remember to this day
as the time we all put childhood away
and learned to flirt and boogie and break our parents’ rules.
To let ourselves be teenagers: partiers and fools.
And though the boy who started it came to no good end,
nonetheless, our thanks to him we’re driven to extend.

For though his actions were illegal and we knew that they were wrong,
each and every schoolgirl was glad he came along.

Prompt words for the day are song, alcohol, chances, verity and satisfaction.