Johnny had green eyes (from journal entry 3-22-94)

jane and johnny was the cutest couple on the westside
that's where i lived
janes brother worked at the corner store an' he usta give us free stuff
sometimes like noworlaters and sunflower seeds and pickels

jane and johnny always was holdin'hands an when everybody
was around he would kiss her on the lips and hit her on the butt an' laugh
i know she was mad but she aint never said nothin'
all us knew johnny had his faults but all us knew that
beyond all them was the johnny loved jane

what none of us includin' jane aint never been really able to sit right with was that
johnny had green eyes

he was the coolest boy in school the baaadest dresser
he could play basketball an' he had a little smarts too
but johnny had them damn green eyes
that nobody could stand

johnny didn't hang around with none of the other boys our age
'cause they still played tetherball an' blocked off the streets
on summer saturdays to have relay races
an' the girls was cheerleadin' on granddaddy's grass
johnny hung around with his brothers n nim
but jane knew all the cheers and she could shake it to the east
and shake it to the west
better n any us cold
but johnny had green eyes

then one saturday mornin' after angelas slumber party
we all was eatin' grits and eggs and angela's mama an' auntie
was in the room whisperin'
then her mama came out fake smilin' with tears in her eyes
she said she read some sorrowful news in the paper this morning
she said whycome all these kids gots ta carry these guns
an' where they gitten 'em from anyway
an' she tole us if she every caught us wit' one she would
beat our tales with it

the she tole us they found johnny and janes body in the park
and johnny was holdin' a pistol
all us was sad but aint none of us cried
seem like we knew somethin' the grown folk aint know

paper said that johnny shot jane and then pulled the trigger on himself
but all us knew whatnt no gun what killed jane
it was johnny's green eyes

(4-30-11 Glad I found this poem because it was a real experience and I would like to edit it -greatly- and use it again)