Poetry Friday--"Father O'Brien"

Headed for my Sketchbook Project book.

Caption: Pin boys in Les Miserables Alleys, Frank Jarose, 7 Fayette St., Mellens Court, said 11 years old, made $3.72 last week. Joseph Philip, 5 Wall St., said 11 years old, and works until midnight every week night; said he made $2.25 last week and $1.75 the week before. Willie Payton, 196 Fayette St., said 11 years old, made over $2 last week, works there every night until midnight. Location: Lowell, Massachusetts. Photo taken October 1911 by Lewis Wickes Hine, courtesy Library of Congress.

Father O'Brien

Father O'Brien of
Saint Patrick's Church
started to laugh when
I told him about my job at
Les Miserables Alleys.
"My boy," he says,
"a more aptly named
place there never was."
And then he busts out
sputtering and laughing
like one who has been
touched by the pixies.
I'll tell you something--
I don't get the joke.

© Diane Mayr, all rights reserved.

Head over to see Tabatha Yeatts for the Poetry Friday Round-Up. (Tabatha sent me poem #3 in the Summer Poem Swap. Actually, she sent me 4 poems total! What a gal!)

Haiku Sticky #262

This was written in response to last week's 15 Words or Less challenge at Laura Salas's blog.

© Diane Mayr, all rights reserved.

Happy Haiga Day!

I guess you can figure out where I went on Friday night! I'll have another concert haiga next Sunday, so come back.

Click on the image to enlarge. © Diane Mayr, all rights reserved.

If you're not familiar with Michael Bublé here's a clip from the same tour, which was taken two weeks ago:

Poetry Friday--"Tall Tales"

A few weeks back, Jama Rattigan's Friday Feast featured the book of poetry, Anna’s Garden Songs by Mary Q. Steele, with illustrations by Lena Anderson. Jama wrote, "I may as well confess right now that I’ve always had a thing for giant vegetables..."

When I read Jama's confession, I wondered if she was familiar with the Wisconsin Historical Society's collection of "tall-tale" postcards. I left a comment with the link and then spent a little time revisiting the "exaggeration" postcards.

When I finished, I had a poem already bubbling. I wrote it and then went looking for something to illustrate it. As much as I love Wisconsin Historical Society's website and their easily accessible photo collection, I knew that they charged for permissions. (I thought I might like to use some of their homefront photos for Kids of the Homefront Army, but changed my mind when I discovered their terms.) So, I once again turned to ebay. I quickly found a "buy it now" option for a tall-tale postcard that appeared to be in good condition. I purchased it for $5.49, which included shipping! I now have an illustration and a postcard to add to my stack of paper ephemera (something that will either delight, or cause my kids to curse me when I'm gone).

Sorry, Jama, this postcard doesn't feature a vegetable! This one is in the tradition of Paul Bunyan and his blue ox, Babe!

Tall Tales

When photography
arrived, this magic
medium lent itself
to tale manipulation.

Tellers had photographic
evidence to back up
their stories, but, were
clumsy in their efforts.

Now comes advanced
photo editing software
and it is imperative we put
a finger in all wounds.

© Diane Mayr, all rights reserved.

The postcard is not from the golden age of postcards, which ran 1898-1918. It's a later vintage, but I think it's well-done, and definitely could fool a naive viewer!

We're lucky to be in the golden age of internet poetry, don't you think? I'm not certain how long it's going to last, but there sure are a lot of weekly participants and readers for the Kidlitosphere's Poetry Friday! This week, Linda at Write Time is hosting the Round-Up, stop by and enjoy!

Haiku Sticky #261

© Diane Mayr, all rights reserved.

Happy Haiga Day!

A seasonal picture with a tanka.

Click on image to enlarge for easier reading. Tanka © Diane Mayr, all rights reserved. "Fireworks at Ikenohata" by Kobayashi Kiyochika courtesy Ukiyo-e Gallery.

Poetry Friday--"American Bambina"

A Sketchbook Project poem for this most patriotic of American holidays!

Caption: Civarro family, 2106 Second Avenue, second floor back, working on patriotic flag pins. They get 3 cents a gross for inserting pin and putting onto card. Mrs. Civarro with her three-months-old baby in her arms is working with four children aged 10, 9, 7 and 5, and a younger child that does not work (2 years). They work irregularly (as Mrs. Civarro does the janitor work for the building which is in fair condition, and receives in return only the rent free of three small rooms), and their net income for this work is $2 a week. 8 members of the family sleep in one small inner room. The tenement is not licensed for homework. Baby was a premature child and very small and frail. "It is so skinny." Husband is a laborer. Location: New York, New York (State). Date: May 21, 1917. Photo by Lewis Wickes Hine, courtesy Library of Congress.

American Bambina

I was born in this country
as were the four after me.

Only Gaspare was born
in the old country.

Did you know Gaspare
means "treasure"?

He's Mama's golden, first
born bambino. Only one is first.

But, Gaspare does not find it
easy counting to 144.

And, he does not have my
quick nimble fingers.

I'm the first American born.
Why doesn't that count?

© Diane Mayr, all rights reserved.

I had intended to write something about being an red-blooded American as proven by the red-speckled pin-pricked skin resulting from in-home piece work. That idea fell by the wayside when the nine year old girl pushed her way to the front. She's an over-worked child, but she's also a sibling! Sometimes sibling rivalry is the most important issue in a child's life.

Have a safe 4th of July holiday! Start the fireworks going with the colorful poems being featured today at My Juicy Little Universe where Heidi is hosting the Round-Up.