It must have been
“Living next door to Alice”,
constantly playing on repeat
that erected a teenage barricade between
my sister and me,
(I still ask myself why some believe,
that a song
improves the more it’s played),
or maybe it was my
less successful tutoring
efforts in maths
(after all –
it does not help calling your sister stupid),
or it could have been my constant
teasing her or just the fact
that it wasn’t clear if I ever was
the big brother to my little sister
or the other way.
After many years we are
mostly in agreement,
but are careful never to quarrel as the
wedge that grew from
growing apart in our teenage years,
still exist somewhere below
and still I cannot bear listening
to Smokie.
Today Punam is hosting dVerse with a prompt where she asks us to write about siblings. I have one sister, and we are very close in age so we should have been very close, but I think our teenage years were challenging and we were more different then what we were before or after.
I will not press play on this one, and if it is ever played I will leave the room.
August 29, 2023
Björn Rudbergs writings 
That’s a great photo of you and your sister, Björn, and I enjoyed reading about you both. ‘Living next door to Alice’ is not on my list of songs I’d like to listen to and can’t imagine it ‘constantly playing on repeat’. I agree about calling your sister stupid.
She also played “She was only Sixteen” by dr Hook, and it is also hard for me, but not as bad as “Alice”.
Funny, but I have a similar memory of musical tastes causing big arguments too. In my case it was Joni Mitchell. Sorry, I know she has lots of fans in this group, but I still can’t stand her.
Ha… that would have been worse. Not standing Smokie is kind of OK.
Liking Smokie would be embarrassing 🙂
I think we all had our share of fights with our siblings during teenage. Music and sports causing a lot of disagreements. I love this, Björn and also the photo you shared.
It took me back a long time.
We must keep revisiting our past as we grow older.
Oh wow, Smokie ruined your childhood… that is quite something. A beautifully written poem… thank you for letting me take a look how it was for you back then.
Fantastic photo of you and your sister, Björn, and I love your poem, it captures the scene perfectly, I had a similar relationship with my little brother
I guess, no, being told one is stupid isn’t very helpful for relations! Made me laugh though.
Lol Smokie…I had that album too!! Musically tastes certainly change with the memories they bring!
That’s a very nicely written tale of brother and sister. Of course there were a few quarrels and hurt feelings now and then. My sister, five years younger than me, were very close because we lived on the farm and were the only children with more than a mile apart.
She says she still looks under her bed before getting in because of the Boogey Man that I told her about.
..
Nicely done Bjorn
Bjorn. That is a lovely photo. Teenage years are difficult. I still have disagreements with my siblings.
😊nice one Björn
Much💖love
I and my sister were the middle kids of 4, jammed somewhat together and awkward still for it. And it looks like we’ll be the only ones soon left in our nuclear family. We continue to love awkwardly.
Your well written poem is the sad story of others as well. This happened between my older brother and sister. Not sure what brings it about but it happens.
Hank had a brother 2 years younger. There were disagreements but between siblings making up was easier. Great posting Bjorn!
Hank