The Clothesline

Here is a poem sent to me by a close friend of my husband's early this morning.  After reading it, I suddenly became aware of some wonderful memories that I had forgotten even existed.

As a child, we had metal clotheslines that stretched between the garage and the walnut tree that stood tall in our back yard.  Once I became tall enough to reach the lines, it was my turn to take a wet rag, cut from one of Dad's old white t-shirts (insert loving sigh), wrap it around the clothesline and walk, as running was frowned upon--you might miss a spot if you hurried--cleaning each line before Mom would bring out the laundry to hang.  This was an especially important detail in the fall when walnuts were dropping out of that tree on a regular basis.  I can't ever recall having walnut stains on our laundry, though.  My best guess is that my strong-willed mother dared that tree to undue all of her hard work and was never crossed by it! 

As I grew older, I was taught to hang sheets and towels using the method of one clothespin joining two items on the line.  By the time I reached the 7th grade, I could hang any load of laundry presented to me in correct orderly fashion.  I remember climbing out the attic door onto the roof of our back porch just to sit and admire my handiwork and compare the tidiness of my clothesline to that of our neighbors living next door and across the alley. 

Thank you, my friend, for reminding me of days gone by and providing me with an opportunity to warm my heart by the hearth of childhood memories on this icy cold February morning.

          CLOTHESLINE 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.