Although it is a sunny day
the rotary drier is sad today
and drooping on her zimmer frame
when she should be spinning
in fresh zephyrs of spring.
When she’s all pegged out with pillows,
and fresh, clean towels that flap and billow,
dancing trousers, shirts and sheets,
with grass and daisies at her feet,
the washing line pulls a happy face.
Kim M. Russell, 2017
My response to dVerse Poets Pub Poetics: Does your dog wear a raincoat?
Lillian asks why people put raincoats on dogs and why are we enamoured with Winnie the Pooh and Micky Mouse? Why do we talk about the tortoise and the hare as if they are somehow competing in a race?
She’s talking about anthropomorphism: the attribution of human traits, emotions, and intentions to nonhumans, making an animal or object behave and appear like they are human beings.” She has given us examples of poetry, including the children’s rhymes ‘Hey! diddle, diddle, the cat and the fiddle’ and ‘Three little kittens lost their mittens’, and ‘Water Snake’ by Mary Oliver.
This Tuesday we are trying our hand at using anthropomorphism in a poem. Lillian wants us to have fun with it, or we can be more serious. We could write a poem for children or a beautiful nature poem; take on the voice of an animal character or write in the third person.
I so much prefer when she is happy that dryer… love the perspective of an object having emotions.
LikeLiked by 1 person
My husband folded her up when he was cutting the bay tree – she’s a bit too close to the path on the way to the back door 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
…and she is a she! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
🙂
LikeLike
dancing trousers and a wash line with a happy face 🙂
I used to LOVE hanging out our clothes when we lived in Iowa. And yes, the breeze just gave life to the clothes and the line!
LikeLiked by 1 person
🙂
LikeLike
I love the voice of the dryer….the second part was a great change of mood Kim ~ Bring on fresh zephyrs of spring!
LikeLiked by 1 person
We did have some today and I cheered her up by doing a bit of washing!
LikeLike
Yet another look at anthropomorphism … and a clever one. It’s been years since I’ve hung clothes outside to dry, but the sweet scent of sunshine stays with me! Thanks for recalling it for me.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Another reason to love our garden!
LikeLike
I bet there aren’t many poems written by clothes driers. I’m glad you let her use your voice, Kim. Now I know how happy they are when they’re in use 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
We used to tie the clothes line to trees. I hadn’t thought of the clothes dancing before, but that makes sense. And when one is dancing one is happy. So that makes sense, too.
LikeLiked by 1 person
🙂
LikeLike
You have given her a beautiful voice and I would love to see her ‘spinning in fresh zephyrs of spring’ :o) xxx
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yess! The washing always looks so happy, too, when it’s hanging out of doors.
LikeLiked by 1 person
This made me smile. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
That makes me smile!😊
LikeLiked by 1 person
i so enjoy your relationship with these everyday objects that speak in volumes and I learn to respect things a little more from your sharing
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Gina!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Awesome good feeling!
LikeLiked by 1 person
🙂
LikeLike
I love this and her happy face made me smile!
Kind regards
Anna :o]
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Anna! 🙂
LikeLike
We were still using clothes lines & outside spinning dryer racks up through the 50’s. On summer days those clothes did soak up fresh air & sunshine–but if the dust clouds came in, sadness dirtied the clothes. We got our first TV in 1955, our first indoor dryer in 1958.
LikeLiked by 1 person
That was early – my parents didn’t rent a TV until the late sixties and we had to lug the washing to the launderette – mainly my job! There’s not really any space in our little cottage, which is over 150 years old and suffers from condensation and damp; and I love hanging out the washing on my rotary dryer!
LikeLike
She lives to dance her clothes in the wind.
LikeLiked by 1 person
She does! I can see her out there now!
LikeLike
What a uniquely written choice you made here, my friend! Such smiles, even for human faces, like mine! 🙂 Applause!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Jilly! 🙂
LikeLike
What a joyful song by this happy girl, the clothes dryer! I love her dancing clothes and spinning ways. Great rhymes in this too.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m kind of fond of my rotary dryer! I see her every day through my window and spend time with her when I hang out the washing! I like to leave her with arms outstretched but my husband always folds her up!
LikeLike
I love this, you paint a great picture of both sides. 🙂 😦 Very well written.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Crystal 🙂
LikeLike
Awwww. What a unique item to choose, Kim. And wonderfully done. So creative.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I see her out of my window every day when I’m writing. I’d already written a poem last year from the perspective of a bicycle, so she was the obvious choice for me – my constant companion deserved a voice!
LikeLike
Delightful dryer dancing in those spring zephyrs…thanks for the spin!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks for reading, Lynn!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I love this. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Shawna!
LikeLike
Oh, my! A flashback to be sure! Put out the laundry; put on a happy face. Good stuff!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Charley!
LikeLiked by 1 person
The rotary clothesline is an Australian invention. The best ones don’t fold up but are made solid – designed for kids to swing on them.
LikeLiked by 1 person
That sounds great! Haven’t seen one of them over here. Maybe our back yards are a bit small for them!
LikeLike
Possibly a bit small but if not, they are wondrous.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Splendid!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you!
LikeLike
Love this line: “When she’s all pegged out with pillows”😊
LikeLiked by 1 person
She has a few items to keep her happy in this morning’s sunshine!
LikeLiked by 1 person