November 24, 2013
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© Sigrid Saradunn. 1960’s Puppet Political Protest: Bread and Puppet Museum, Glover, VT.
Protest puppets stored in a 150 year old barn/museum. A do it yourself tour .. and don’t forget to turn out the lights 🙂 ♥
For more history of the puppets and museum: http://breadandpuppet.org/museum
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The “real toad” challenge for today is to write one’s own protest piece.
It can be serious or silly, form or no form. The choices are up to the writer,
but give a voice to something you are passionate about.
As always please make it a piece original to this challenge. .
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From my Soap Box:
Independence for All
Getting old is not for sissies . . .
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When is middle age ?
When is old age ?
How old is the observer
seems to be the clue.
..
At 32, I was told
“you get around well
for your age.”
The “compliment”
comes
from a 19 year old
exercise “expert”
at the gym.
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My rallying cry:
Never let them see you sweat,
never admit to anything
THEY can’t see.
First you stoop and then you droop
getting old is chicken poop.
Never let them see you sweat,
never admit to anything
THEY can’t see.
.
When I’m fifty,
my daughter thinks
I’m almost ready
for “the home”
and need supervision.
“Middle age
is not the time” I say.
.
Sigh.
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I realized a while back
that two times fifty
is one hundred.
Almost past “middle age”
in my maternal
and paternal genealogy !
.
I’m the Queen of Denial,
I admit…
but it’s my story
and I’m sticking to it.
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Now I know
why my mother
never admitted
to over 49
and
came to seemingly
believe it. .
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My rallying cry:
Never let them see you sweat,
never admit to anything
THEY can’t see.
First you stoop and then you droop
getting old is chicken poop.
Never let them see you sweat,
never admit to anything
THEY can’t see. .
.
The time has come
my children
are becoming the age
it was thought
I was ready
for THE HOME.
.
My son caught on,
and
says he now is
older than I.
.
He’s in his forties,
and I’m 39.
.
My rallying cry
is patiently waiting
for the one
who thought I was ready
for THE HOME at fifty.
.
For when she’s fifty,
I’ll remind her,
it’s time to live
with your children at least
or
get ready for THE HOME.
When she’s out looking
for the mind she’s “lost”
she can look for mine too…
absent-minded
runs in the family,
for sure.
(she’ll find it’s not fatal,
just time consuming,
looking for things put
“some place safe.” )
.
My rallying cry:
Never let them see you sweat,
never admit to anything
THEY can’t see.
First you stoop and then you droop
getting old is chicken poop.
Never let them see you sweat,
never admit to anything
THEY can’t see.
.
Do what is needed
to keep free and happy.
Join the crowd of being safe…
And when it is suggested
that a cane or a fall
is a “sign from above”
that it is time to move
and live dormitory style
for the rest of your life.
.
Protest loudly
and DO WHAT IS NEEDED
to help yourself and others
be INDEPENDENT
as long as they can.
.
My rallying cry:
Never let them see you sweat,
never admit to anything
THEY can’t see.
First you stoop and then you droop
getting old is chicken poop.
Never let them see you sweat,
never admit to anything T
HEY can’t see.
.
And when you can,
remember the quote,
your parents told you,
and you passed along:
“Just wait til you have children” ?
.
This must change
with every dire threat to: .
.
“Just wait.
It won’t be long
til you’re the age I am now.
Just wait and see.
You’ll change your tune.” .
.
Hold your ground and smile.
They’ll change their tune soon enough.
.
My rallying cry:
Never let them see you sweat,
never admit to anything
THEY can’t see.
First you stoop and then you droop
getting old is chicken poop.
Never let them see you sweat,
never admit to anything
THEY can’t see.
.
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You are among toads
“Think as I think,” said a man,
“or you are abominably wicked;
you are a toad.”
And after I thought of it,
I said, “I will, then, be a toad.”
~ Stephen Crane
Posted by siggiofmaine in Imaginary Garden with Real Toads Poetry, Soap Box Tags: Glover, origianal protest piece, photo Bread and Puppet Museum, poetry essay, thought on aging. aging in place, VT, W, Woody Guthrie muse
siggiofmaine 