Poetry Posts

Poetry Posts

Walking to the post office in my new urban neighborhood, something unusual caught my eye. Amongst a garden of daisies and hebes sprawling the parking strip, mounted on a post near the sidewalk so passersby can easily see, a smart little rectangular wooden box (like realtors use) with a weathered brass roof, and a full-size picture window.  Inside, a poem neatly typed on white bond.

I don’t know if you’ll be able to read the poem from the image, so here it is:

A Garden Romance,
by Anonymous.

This poem was published in The Rose City Park Catholic Monthly, January, 1924. Thanks to the late Rita Mae Wisner Campbell whose baptism was announced in the same issue. Rita lived for more than fifty years in the house with the rolled roof on the NW corner of Alameda and 51^st.

Miss Rose she strolled the garden ways        
            In dainty Queen Ann’s Lace;
Sweet William and the Scarlet Sage
            Were taken with her grace.

The latter kissed her Tulips. She
            Refused him on the spot.
Sweet William murmured as he passed
            “Ah, Rose, Forget-me-Not!”

He bent to tie the Lady’s Slipper
            And soft and low said he:
“Don’t Marigold, Miss Rose, I beg,
            But rather marry me.”

Miss Rose’s Poppy gave consent,
            And people came in Phlox
To see Jack-in-the-Pulpit wed
            The pair at Four o-clock.

“House with the rolled roof?” I ponder, looking around. Kitty-corner across the street is a house with a rolled roof. Checking the street signs, sure enough, I am on the NW corner of Alameda and 51^st! This is not just poetry, this is history!

Back home, I do a little internet research. According to a couple news articles, Poetry Posts (as they’re called) can be found in Portland’s Irvington and Hollywood neighborhoods and are maintained by the homeowners. There are at least 20 scattered around that have been built by a local resident.

I stop every trip to the post office now to read the poems.