Kids of the Homefront Army: Square Dance

There is one front and one battle where everyone in the United States—every man, woman, and child—is in action and will be privileged to remain in action throughout this war. That front is right here at home, in our daily lives and in our daily tasks. Here at home everyone will have the privilege of making whatever self-denial is necessary, not only to supply our fighting men, but to keep the economic structure of our country fortified and secure during the war and after the war.

President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s radio broadcast to the nation, April 28, 1942

Thursday, June 9, 2011

Square Dance

Cora

SQUARE DANCE

I’ve always watched
the hands of women
as they sat on front porches
knitting and crocheting.

The dance of wool and needle
is a mystery to me.
I’m a lefty and somehow
my hands don’t dance.

But now I’ve got a
good reason to master
the complicated steps—
the Ladies’ League.

The Ladies’ League
is collecting squares.
Six inches by six inches.
Knitted or crocheted.

My square will be
joined to someone else’s.
And ours to yet another’s
until a blanket appears!

A snuggly warm blanket
for a cold and lonely soldier
who dreams of once again
dancing with a girl.

© Diane Mayr, all rights reserved. Photo courtesy Library of Congress. Poster courtesy Smithsonian National Museum of American History.

4 comments:

Barbara said...: Great poem, Diane. And I'm learning things I never knew!; July 1, 2011 at 7:46 AM
Diane Mayr said...: Then I've done what I set out to do!; July 1, 2011 at 8:19 AM
I'm Jet . . . said...: Bravo!; July 1, 2011 at 12:55 PM
Andrea Murphy said...: Just terrific.; July 1, 2011 at 1:23 PM