“...it was while doing graduate work in English there (University of California Berkeley) that she did some student teaching. She used pop songs to teach her high school students about rhyme scheme and meter, as they were not poetry readers."
http://www.harvardsquarelibrary.org/biographies/malvina-reynolds/
Malvina Reynolds would have been at Berkeley in the 1920's, and "Five Foot Two, Eyes of Blue" was a popular song then. Perhaps it was one she used to teach about rhyme scheme and meter.
Five Foot Two, Eyes of Blue
Words: Sam M. Lewis and Joseph Widow Young; Music: Ray Henderson (1925)
Five foot two, eyes of blue,
but oh, what those five foot could do:
has anybody seen my gal?
Turned-up nose, turned-down hose
Flapper? Yes sir, one of those
Has anybody seen my gal?
Now, if you run into
a five-foot-two
covered with fur,
Diamond rings,
and all those things,
Bet your life it isn't her
But could she love, could she woo!
Could she, could she, could she coo!
Has anybody seen my gal?
My Gal, Mother Nature
Birds and bees, rocks and trees
Oh the breeze and green green leaves
Has anybody seen my gal?
Skies of blue, rivers too
Nature? Yes we need her hues
Has anybody seen my gal?
Now if the skies are hazed
Parks are paved
Trash everywhere,
Species dead
Sewage spread
Bet your life there’s no clean air
The temps are high, could she die?
Could she, could she, could she die?
Has anybody seen my gal?
Words: Sam M. Lewis and Joseph Widow Young; Music: Ray Henderson (1925)
Five foot two, eyes of blue,
but oh, what those five foot could do:
has anybody seen my gal?
Turned-up nose, turned-down hose
Flapper? Yes sir, one of those
Has anybody seen my gal?
Now, if you run into
a five-foot-two
covered with fur,
Diamond rings,
and all those things,
Bet your life it isn't her
But could she love, could she woo!
Could she, could she, could she coo!
Has anybody seen my gal?
My Gal, Mother Nature
Birds and bees, rocks and trees
Oh the breeze and green green leaves
Has anybody seen my gal?
Skies of blue, rivers too
Nature? Yes we need her hues
Has anybody seen my gal?
Now if the skies are hazed
Parks are paved
Trash everywhere,
Species dead
Sewage spread
Bet your life there’s no clean air
The temps are high, could she die?
Could she, could she, could she die?
Has anybody seen my gal?
©Mary Lee Hahn, 2017
Oh my, you made it work beautifully, Mary Lee. I grew up with one grandmother who played the piano and we sang all those old songs. Wonderful! You're bringing Malvina's life out in an enticing way.
ReplyDeleteMary Lee! Honestly, I find myself NOT commenting so often because I feel my praise is redundant. You are a gifted observer, connector, writer, poet and photographer. I hope you are putting all your poems in collections of your own, if not publishing. Malvina would be proud of your poetic tributes. I'm enjoying your exploration of her. Thank you for continuing to share and inspire me with your gifts. This poem should be shared worldwide on Earth Day--which should be EVERY day. *Lisa
ReplyDelete*Still at steps & staircases on tumblr
LISA! Thank you for being there and reading! I still have all your kind gifts strung hither and thither through home and classroom...I think of you often. I'm blushing at your compliments. I'm definitely going to send this year's project to a poetry editor, whether it's sellable or not, just to stay on her radar.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI think I just deleted my comment. It was:
ReplyDeleteI think this book (and it's definitely becoming a book!) would be very popular with a certain segment of the population looking to get into some good, powerful trouble. Send it, send it! (to which editor?)