Ode to a Snow White Laundry
A few months ago, I read a front-page story in a local paper here in Carleton Place, featuring a story about the redevelopment of a downtown hotel. One of the owners mentioned that the Snow White Laundry was an "eyesore". The Snow White Laundry would win no prizes at an architectural beauty contest. However, something in what he said moved me to poetry. I just could not see this building as it stood, broken and derelict, but instead, what it stood for – for service and duty beyond the call.
I wrote this complete poem within the hour, and printed it out, walked it down to the building and with packing tape, under the cover of darkness, pasted it to the outside window. The only evidence of my being there were the letters LM at the bottom of the text. The Ode stayed posted outside for several weeks. I walked by one day to notice that someone, perhaps the owner, removed the Ode and instead placed it, facing outward, from inside the glass window. There it stayed, until that fateful day when payloader and muck-rake tore the building down.
Old walls, once freshly painted
Now dust covered and faded
Soon to be consigned to the heap of dust
You’ve washed out, over time
Today, you are called an eyesore,
But, to a humble patron,
With cane and cataracts
You were a sight for sore eyes!
For those, whose fortunes were not great
You did not judge, you did not take
Great profit from your toil
Removing surl and soil
Instead, you welcomed gladly
All of those, their fortunes badly
Did serve them all so sadly
Did make for them a sorry state
You turned to your work and toiled
Turned all those garments that were soiled
To bright and new again
Dignity and self respect attained
Council now, has spoken
Your back will finally be broken
Not worth more than just a token
Like those pushed inside your washer’s slots
Cornering Beckwith and Lake
Your walls soon will shake
With jackhammer, payloader and rake
And, all will be forgotten
From all of those who linger
For a moment longer, and wait
And remember that you were there for them
They thank you, and abate.
L.M.