Juniper, all tulle and sequins, pink sprigs of hair,
Barbie doll makeup, tinsel crown, tinfoil nose ring,
Embraces Stacy. One hundred BFFs encircle them.

Pointing toward a glazed roast, honeyed chicken, fries,
Today’s sushi special, yesterday’s reduce-priced buns,
More than 90 would-be Rockettes spin, kick, caper.

Mrs. Elderidge, hearing aid partially dislodged, shrugs
She’s busy choo-chooing hot dog into Annie’s mouth.
Seeing dancers, her granddaughter misses, severs skin.

Old Man Hortence claps, stomps, whistles a little.
Local theater brings teens with antlers winking,
Shimmying, shaking tails, tuning cheeks to red.

At arm’s length, beyond, snowflake girls, pure Senior Skip Day,
Whirl to electronic music, shopping tempos, the shrill of friends.
Ear buds pop like summer daisies, metal, rock, classic tweet out.

Abruptly, elves, actually yearbook or society boys, scamper,
Such overeager marmots, prairie dogs, woodchucks, chipmunks,
Stop sampling foot longs, chop suey long enough to spin a bit.

Tall pulls of soda later, six of them jaunt on elbows,
Break spectacles, lose ties, scrape parts here, there.
Ariel moments cost bruises, cuts, complexion, face.

At my table, salt and pepper hop near sugar, soy sauce, 
Displacing napkins, shaking tradition, spilling, bumping
Alongside of staid utensils, used vessels, tired patrons.