organ grinder

[the mingo]

hunger is not evil
said the organ grinder
as his daughter sang out
to the streets & sky
possibilities are lessened
because the wild elephants are chained
and a woman in black evening dress and slick shoes
touches their trunks and poses among them
unconcerned her arms open like wings
she wears a big bow as if
she were some kind of gift
but the organ grinder knows better
than to believe that and gives the crank
of his machine another spin

[dadio]

remember them; years back. Good poem.

[the mingo]

Thx, Terry. I never saw one for real who was making his living this way but a photo was placed in my hand recently of an organ grinder & his daughter taken, (my guess) sometime between the turn of the 20th century & World War One. I kept coming back to it.

[saw]

an odd bygone occupation.....in Paris there were many folks who would jump on the subway cars with a squeeze-box....playing for tips between stops....some had an assistant to collect from the commuters......they're really good at not falling over as the cars lurch about......cool

[constantine]

when i was a child in baltimore i saw one. he had a monkey in a bellhop uniform - he took a penny from my hand. i was no older than 5 - probably younger. the grinders headquarters was this little house in little italy - around albemarle and eastern ave. stilltrucking remembers - i'm sure.