A POEM
A clothesline was a news forecast
To neighbors passing by.
There were no secrets you could keep
When clothes were hung to dry.
It also was a friendly link
For neighbors always knew
If company had stopped on by
To spend a night or two.
For then you'd see the "fancy sheets"
And towels upon the line;
You'd see the "company table cloths"
With intricate designs.
The line announced a baby's birth
From folks who lived inside -
As brand new infant clothes were hung,
So carefully with pride!
The ages of the children could
So readily be known
By watching how the sizes changed,
You'd know how much they'd grown!
It also told when illness struck,
As extra sheets were hung;
Then nightclothes, and a bathrobe, too,
Haphazardly were strung.
It also said, "Gone on vacation now"
When lines hung limp and bare.
It told, "We're back!" when full lines sagged
With not an inch to spare!
New folks in town were scorned upon
If wash was dingy and gray,
As neighbors carefully raised their brows,
And looked the other way . . ...
But clotheslines now are of the past,
For dryers make work much less.
Now what goes on inside a home
Is anybody's guess!
I really miss that way of life.
It was a friendly sign
When neighbors knew each other best
By what hung on the line!
On another note my face is totally red!! When I spoke of Sweet P's Quilting and Creations yesterday I totally overlooked giving the link to her blog. So here it is http://sweetp-paulette.blogspot.com/. Be sure to check it out. Even if you're not a quilting fan - you will absolutely love the photography!!
That's it for today!
4 comments:
Well I'm going to have to put another entry into the cookie jar for that comment! Thank you! ;o)
Paulette
Loved the poem!
Hi Jenny,
I loved the poem. I also went into that quilting site you linked to and I love that one too. I think I'll bookmark her for future reference. We're getting ready to leave Port Orford, which is kind of sad. We have a lot of friends here now, but it is time to move on.
Have a good day,
your friend
juanita
The poem is great and I still hang some clothes on the line :-) I love the outdoor smell.
This poem is attributed on on several sites to a Marilyn K. Walker. It's a wonderful feel good kind of poem, isn't it! Thanks for posting it.
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