I remember this day, like all the rest
Except that this one was really the best
Two little girls filled with giggles and fun
Chasing butterflies in the summer sun
This old waterwheel, now long past its prime
Still recalls that day of a happy time
Mamma and Auntie, as they watch close by
Smiling at the wonder, give a soft sigh
Let’s take their picture, I soon heard them say
So we can be reminded of this day
The old waterwheel will be a good place
I felt honored and put on my best face
They climbed on my rail and carefully sat
Right next to each other, they had a spat
Mamma wanted arms entwined just for show
'No, we don’t want to, we’re big girls, you know'
It all worked out fine though, as you can see
They now have this picture of them and me
It was soon seen as a magazine deal
These two little girls on a waterwheel
Many days have come and gone since the time
When I was much younger and in my prime
But no other day has pleased me as much
As this day brightened by two little girl’s touch
Dee Garner
© April 10, 2009
Author notes
I wrote this in the persona of the waterwheel.
I want this picture to be a surprise for my sister, J aime coudre, on allpoetry.
www.allpoetry.com/j%20aime%20coudre
I don't know if she remembers it or not. The picture was taken about 64 years ago, probably 1944 or so, when she and I were around 6 and 7 years old. I remember clearly our mamma and aunt having us sit on that railing by the waterwheel and telling us to put our arms around each other for the picture. We both objected (we were 'too old to do that' we told them but we finally did it).
Later the picture made the cover of a magazine... I don't know which magazine and must have been too young to be impressed by it.
In a list
- Hugh Wyles favourites group contest poems • next in list
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- Memories • next in list
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A contest entry
- HUGUENAUTIES CONTEST No.# 43 FOR MEMBERS OF HUGH WYLES’ FAVOURITES GROUP ONLY!! by huguenauties.
750 points, ended April 23, 16 entries
Gold trophy winner
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest
Comments
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What a wonderful memory. I wish I had some pictures of when I was younger but most were lost several years ago. Good job on word usage that fit the pic very well. Good luck.
Sharon
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This is so warm and good.
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Which one of those girls are you? You sure got a lot of nice comments for this. Where was this picture taken, besides down by the old mill stream? Happy Mother's Day! I hope it has finally warmed up where you are there in Arizona land. Best Wishes.
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Hi Wesley and thank you for reading and commenting on this. You asked which of the girls in the picture is me... I'm the one on the right, my sister Darlene is the one on the left next to the senter thingy of the waterwheel. The picture was taken some where around the Gold Hill/Medford Oregon. We lived in Gold Hill so probably somewhere around there.
Oh, yes, it's warmed up here in the Phoenix area... to the tune of 105 yesterday and 103 today. We've had to start using the AC so we're back to high electric bills. I dread to see the first one coming.
love and
Dee
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Cute poem with nice rhyme and iambic pentameter (I think). I think the image of the 'chasing butterflies' was a little cliche (not sure if you're looking for a critical response or not). I did like the rest of the imagery and the retelling of the tale, especially since you used concrete examples instead of just the abstract nouns. Congrats on the gold. I felt the title was very direct.
By the way thanks for helping me with the hacker.
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Thank you, pozo for your always consrtuctive comment/critique. As for the butterfly phrase, I agree it's a bit cliche and I thought of that when I was writing this piece. But decided to leave it since that's the exact phrase my sister and I used when asked what we'd been doing... "chasing butterflys"
This is a true account of that day so long ago and I can still remember it in detail.
love and
Mom
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This caught my eye and heart
on first read and comment!
So glad it was special for
everyone else, too!
Very golden words!
M-C -
Your waterwheel truly spoke in golden words.
Congratulations.
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Congratulations Dee on your Gold trophy.
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Can we have a "Poor Ima and Yem" contest?
Congrats on the gold. It was indeed a worthy winner. -
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A Poor Ima and Yem contest... hmmm sounds like a possibility to me. I'll give it serious thought... Oh, wait... it's really difficult to be serious about Ima and Yem. But I'll work on it
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Dear Dee, What a wonderful memory to have about you and your Sister and it's lovely to see the two of you in the picture sitting there. Very beautifully written Dee.
Jen
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This is so sweet! I love the way you wrote it from the perspective of the waterwheel. It's a great pic'..I'm not surprised it ended up on the cover of a magazine! Very nicely done! Best of Luck in this contest!
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Dear Dee,
I love old family photos. They have such nostalgic feel
and this one is a beauty, sitting by the water-wheel
together with your sister. You exhibit such appeal
that I bet you wonder nowadays if it was ever real.
But you see, the photo proves it was and you and Darlene know
how much you both enjoyed yourselves that day so long ago
and though you're both much older now and sometimes aged feel,
at least you're not as worn out as that ancient water-wheel.
A picture to treasure and a beaut poem to complement it.
Thankyou for entering this contest.
Applause, love and hugs, XXX Hugh.
PS: This comment disappeared and when I re wrote it, it says "You already ranked this item, skipping." So I can't repeat the applause but give you instead.
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Dear Dee,
I love old family photos. They have such nostalgic feel
and this one is a beauty, sitting by the water-wheel
together with your sister. You exhibit such appeal
that I bet you wonder nowadays if it was ever real.
But you see, the photo proves it was and you and Darlene know
how much you both enjoyed yourselves that day so long ago
and though you're both much older now and sometimes aged feel,
at least you're not as worn out as that ancient water-wheel.
A picture to treasure and a beaut poem to complement it.
Thankyou for entering this contest.
Applause, love and hugs, XXX Hugh.
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This is really sweet Dee, filled with childhood memories.
I especially like how you decided to speak from the Waterwheel's perspective observing the young sisters that day.
What a lovely write.
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excellent
This is great sis....
Now after seeing this makes me always long for a real sister or brother at heart...
So nostalgic
Best of luck in the contest
Hugs
Your sis
Susan~~~
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Dear Dee, What a wonderful picture to have of your childhood, it's great when they're found after so many years.
You both look cute sitting on the waterwheel.
A great entry Dee. Good luck in the contest.
Love Joan
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Excellent photo, beautiful young girls, and a poem to do them proud. It is wonderful that it did not get lost! Loved it--best of luck!
Terry
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oh Dee this is lovely memories,one can never have enough of these type... to bad there are no archives for the magazines back then? Hope you can find a few to put in your treasure chest of memories,Good luck
MM
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How wonderful to write this..I don't remember the day at all which is pretty usual for me..you have way more memories of 'back when' then I do...I really think I am the big sister not you...maybe it's a mental thing...if I don't remember I won't be growing older..
I do have a copy of this photo some where...or at least I did have one...a big one that our aunt Alta tinted..
Now what magazine was popular back then...we should see if we can find out which one..maybe we can collect un paid royalties..
Great entry. A winner for sure...
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Thanks for the comment, Sis. I'm surprised you don't remember that day. We both kept resisting putting our arms around each other... lol Funny thing, I can remember things way back when but ask me what happened yesterday, a whole different story.
I wondered what happened to the big picture, the 8X10 that our Aunt Alta had tinted like she did so many of our pictures. That's the one I was looking for when I finally found this one.. I had it forever, seems like.
Dee
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An ode to the past,
to your keen memory,
to your momma or aunt
for their good eye,
and to the waterwheel
for being a complexity
of light and shadow.
A wonderful piece, catz.
M-C
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The poem is great, the photo even cooler. Isn't that a shame that you never kept the magazine. We never think of how important things will someday be to us. I have a friend who keeps things, we've been friends for about 7 years and sometimes she shows me things from when we first met, just small things, like a candy bar wrapper, but they have already become fond memories.
We had an old waterwheel like that on a lot of land next door to us when I was growing up. No house there just the wheel, but maybe the house burned down or something. More fond memories.
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we have an ancient one in christchurch near where i live.. and a ducking stool lol..thank you for the nostalgia .good luck
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ah the days of our youth on the cover of as magazine eh, famous, it is a good poem and holds memory's smiles that rush towards the present with joy.
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