On this date in 1934, the first Laundromat, called a “washeteria” was opened in Fort Worth, TX. Right in my own backyard, so to speak. [Thanks, Lee BH, for that tidbit from Days to Celebrate: A Full Year of Poetry, People, Holidays, History, Fascinating Facts, and More (New York: Greenwillow, 2005).]How about some poetry about laundry?
Sock Eater
by Betsy Rosenthal
On laundry days
my mother says
the dryer is a crook.
It’s all because
a sock is gone—
the one the dryer took.
I tell my mom she shouldn’t
let the dryer
see us eat.
It’s sure to munch a sock or two
because it craves a treat.
From: Rosenthal, Betsy R. 2004. My House is Singing. Illus. by Margaret Chodos-Irvine. San Diego: Harcourt.
I’ve written about this anthology before and cited “My House’s Night Song” as my tribute poem when I moved into my new home last December. I continue to find more gems as I pore over this collection. And if you need more laundry poetry, look for:
Janeczko, Paul B., comp. 2001. Dirty Laundry Pile: Poems in Different Voices. illus. Melissa Sweet. New York: HarperCollins. (however not ALL the poems are about laundry!)
As we say in Texas—who’da thunk it? Poetry about laundry?!
Picture credit: www.jupiterimages.com
If only doing laundry were as fun as reading that poem!
ReplyDeleteVERY cute! Just the type of thing I need posted in my laundry room to give me a laugh while doing the "laughable" job of trying to keep up with my laundry!
ReplyDeleteGlad to leaven the (laundry) load with a poem! Thanks for stopping by.
ReplyDeleteSylvia
Thanks so much for posting my Sock Eater poem on your blog and for your lovely words about my House poetry collection. I hope you like shoes, as well as socks, because my next book is a rhyming book about various shoes.
ReplyDeleteHow fun to hear from the poet herself! Thanks for stopping by, Betsy. I look forward to your new shoe poems!
ReplyDeleteSylvia