Mother's Lament by Ruth Daigon


                                     

                                               As night approached,
                                               the grisly task of re-
                                               moving bodies from
                                               the upper floor of the
                                               buildings.   Searchlights
                                               on both Green and
                                               Washington Place di-
                                               rected to he upper
                                               floors created an eerie
                                               effect to the grim sight.

                                                  New York Times,
                                                    March 26, 1911


In the province no one visits she's still
waiting to be born I can
almost hear her breath
brushing by me like a dark wish

hear the lullabies
burrowed deep in time when I lay
under stars small fires   waiting
under sun's spiral   waiting
under vacant wash of sky   waiting

If I empty my head of names
If I empty my pocket of coins
If I empty my shoes
will I feel the imprint of a palm
or hear her voice again

We reach toward each other
intent and unaware and I imagine
fears that shape her nights
until the world leaps back to brightness

but she never quite appears
even in the downdrop of sleep
and the moment is never the moment
where grace begins

 

PAYDAY AT THE TRIANGLE is a riveting re-telling of the Triangle shirtwaist factory fire that erased 146 young lives.  This tragedy revitalized a lagging labor movement and also became a powerful component of the feminist struggle.  Ruth Daigon's poetry gives life to those who perished in the fire as no one has done before.  She re-creates and transforms names and numbers into living, breathing human beings each with his or her distinctive voice.  This poignant and beautifully written account makes the 1911 disaster seem like yesterday's nightmare.   The fire, a pivotal event in America's movement toward social and political justice is framed in a collage of photos, journalism and literary artistry.  This makes PAYDAY AT THE TRAIANGLE a must.

--Tillie Olsen

You can order PAYDAY AT THE TRIANGLE at:

Small Poetry Press Select Poets Series
P.O. Box 5342
Concord, CA 94524

Click HERE to read more on RUTH DAIGON

 

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