THANK YOU Angel Sammy and Teddy! We loved todays poetry photo challenge ~ as the "memory keeper" for many of our family photographs of past generations, we've often, through Photoshop done our best to repair damaged pictures. Photos with tears or rough edges, stains or tape residue from being in albums. It can be a long and tedious process, but worthwhile especially for ones we wanted to frame. From time to time, once finished with repairs, we'll give it a sepia tone or colorize the image. Todays "high button shoes" picture immediately brought to mind two photos. One of my maternal Grandma and my Mom, and Mom with her two sisters, and inspired our untitled poem as well.
Grandma wore button-up shoes
as did her daughters three.
T'was just after the turn of the century
and comfort then still wasn't meant to be.
Each morning she would curl their hair,
she'd add a big fluffy bow.
They'd dress in pretty pinafores,
even if they'd nowhere to go.
Next, the socks. And then those shoes.
Button them up right and tight.
They must stay on all day,
until to bed at night.
They wore those button-up shoes
in the North Dakota cold.
They wore their button-up shoes
in the hot, dry Texas sun.
I'm thankful I wasn't a "mama" then.
I'm thankful I can wear
sneakers, stripey sox or none!
Special note: this poem is very much reality based. My grandparents (Grandma was originally from Prince Edward Island) were living in Saskatchewan when my Mom was born. Grandpa's employment soon saw them moving to North Dakota. Then another move to Colorado for a time, and then eventually to Wichita Falls, Texas where they then lived for many years. And I am thankful I did not have to dress my children daily the way they were in generations past! It seems it may have taken until lunchtime to get them ready to go!
THANKFUL THURSDAY
Mom loves to see the old photos of people in those fancy shoes and clothes, but she is sure glad she doesn't have to wear any of that!
ReplyDeleteWhat a WONDERFUL "flashback poem" for this photo of the high button shoes AND for the wonderful old photos as well. I love looking back and I think that's why this shoe photo grabbed me as a possible poetic inspiration. I had forgotten that at that time there was a button-holer that was used to make putting these tiny buttons in the holes of the shoes! Still I feel lucky NOT to have to wear those shoes and instead wear my comfy moccasins or slippers!!!!
ReplyDeleteThanks for playing poetry with us on Thursdays.
Hugs, Pam (and Teddy too)
You and I went in the same direction with our poems this week! Love all your family history that you included in yours as well as the priceless photos!
ReplyDeleteI'm visiting from dear Pam's blog.
Here's the link to my post today: https://thesedaysofmine.com/2021/08/12/poetic-thursday-grandmas-shoes/
Hi and thank you! I visited, loved your poem. Having issues with WP blogs not allowing me to comment, however, am sure my Grandma's shoes were far more like those you saw in the antique shop, she too, toiled from dawn to dusk ...
DeleteI really like those shoes but I am so very glad that I never had to wear them. They look pretty peeking out from under skirts and I've seen girls these days where similar ones with shorts which to me. And look very good and I too am glad that I did not have to dress up like your grandmother did but that is a beautiful picture of her and the baby
ReplyDeleteFunny, the company that I work for began it's life as a manufacturer of shoe grommets and such like!
ReplyDeleteHard to visualize such footwear, unless you see photos such as these.
Thank you so much for your loving words and badges for The PO'M; he's left a big hole in our lives.
That's a great poem. Interesting to see the way things changed over the years.
ReplyDeleteThat's a terrific poem and such a wonderful story too. Thanks for joining our Thankful Thursday Blog Hop!
ReplyDeleteLove the poem, and those photos are wonderful.
ReplyDeleteA Canadian photo? I didn't think that it could cross the border these days.
ReplyDeleteWith your wings you should be able to fly across, right?
DeleteYour poem is wonderful! Love those high button shoes!
ReplyDeleteI LOVE your photos! They are terrific! My cousin has a very similar studio shot of our Grand Mother and her Mother taken in Saskatoon about the same time! Amazing how lives can cross!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your family with us Ann, and I LOVE the poem too!
I have my fingers crossed I will be able to come home by the weekend. Covid has made it so very difficult to find any kind of home care and I am lucky I can help my sister.
I love how you joined up your poem with your heritage.
ReplyDeleteI have some old pictures, too...I think if I looked closely I'd see footwear like that too...glad we are not having to wear those now...I am more of a 'Birkenstok' style, (or B wannabees...), myself, except at my work of course...at least we can wear 'sneakers' there.
And BTW, how cool, that you have Canadian roots!! I am from there...with Dutch heritage.
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful poem today, I too enjoyed all the family history and wonder just how early they had to rise back then to get ready for the day!
ReplyDeleteGreat poem and beautiful photos. XO
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful poem - and family history ! Thank you for sharing with us !
ReplyDeleteWe loved your poem, and your photos are so touching. Mom says she needs to go through the many boxes of old photos and preserve some of those old memories too.
ReplyDeleteWoos - Lightning, Misty, and Timber
I really love vintage photographs My grandmother used to paint in colour on hers, too. And Dani did vintage yesterday!
ReplyDeleteYour pictures of June are truly works of art. She is just the prettiest kitty. I love the close-ups.
Wonderful photos and poem! Loved this post
ReplyDeleteWhat marvelous old photos! I do love old photos. Nice poetry too, and I can't imagine wearing those shoes every day!
ReplyDeleteOur ancestors were made of stern, tough material, just like their shoes and clothing, and houses that lasted.
ReplyDeleteThe poem is so well written we can see her getting dress but don't worry we don't stare.
ReplyDeleteWhat a splendid reality-based poem. Dad loves these old timey photographs like the first one, and his mom used to color lots of their portraits when he was a tot back in the nineteen somethings.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great poem and we loved learning a bit of your family history. Those old pictures really work well with your poem, too.
ReplyDelete