Mayday! Mayday! Mayday! Today is the first day of May. Having watched numerous television shows in my youth where the pilot or ship’s captain grabs up his microphone and utters those three words in hopes of rescue, every May 1st, I’m reminded of those dramatic scenes of video terror.
Of course, I would never actually utter this standard distress call in real life (I’m neither pilot nor ship’s captain) … since making a false distress call is a federal offense.
Instead, I’ll just go with uttering Maypole! Maypole! Maypole! It’s not a call for help but I look at the maypole as an interesting tidbit of forgotten culture and a curious item for me. I haven’t seen a maypole dance / celebration since I was a little girl! Which is too bad because I recall it was an entertaining activity.
Living in Arkansas, we have lots of festivals and celebratory occasions. Earlier today, I was showing my grandson a video for the toad race at Conway’s annual Toad Suck Daze. (Sadly, not a maypole in sight!) Is there a five-year-old anywhere who’d choose a maypole over a toad race? I think not.
Since #NaPoWriMo 2015 has been concluded – celebrating Poetry during the month of April – poetry hasn’t been much on my mind today. However, I pulled out another Jaleen I’d written many long years ago.
Some readers may recall I posted twice last year (here and here) with examples of the form. Talking with my grandson about the toad race, I was reminded of another little guy (his daddy) and the Jaleen I wrote when he was quite small. Those days are long gone but I have the poem to remind me those days vanished too fast.
May Day is BIG here in Corbin. It’s the main fundraiser for the Ossoli Club. Pre-school girls compete for May Day Princess and high school girls compete for May Day Queen. Classes from local schools from pre-school-4th grade come up with dances to perform in our town arena. People buy tickets to come watch, the girls in the courts wear formals and are escorted by suited boys. The event lasts about three hours. And yes, there is a maypole that a class from the local dance studio dances around, wrapping it in ribbon. My girls were in it for years. (Teachers who participate by bringing their classes to perform receive some of the money for use in school the next year.) Tonight was the night, and I was so glad not to be there or in the traffic afterwards! It was fun for a few years, but mercy! So much to sit through!
Debbie, I’m jealous but must ask what’s the Ossoli Club? Sounds like this was fun for your girls but I understand you’re glad to be finished with it. I felt the same way about summer baseball four or five nights a week! Ugh!
We used to have a Maypole dance with weaving of ribbons on the last day of school every year from 1st grade to 7th when I left the school. Your post brings back hallowed memories.
Yes, the Maypole evokes a memory from my childhood as well. That’s why I miss them!!
Renee, the Ossoli Club is a women’s service organization here in Corbin. I think most of the funds they raise go to the schools for various special projects.
An unusual name … but after looking it up, I see it’s named for someone.