Staying Cool Memories

Oscillating fans here and there in the house, Naps in a cool cement basement, Folding fans on an evening porch, Dry breezes after twilight. The ice man with tongs holding a 50-lb cube, Throwing it into a heavy wooden ice box, Galvanized and painted like porcelain inside And a tub underneath to catch the melting to empty. A grape arbor in the backyard where a little girl played With a black-haired dolly named Jane, The ice man mussed her hair and smiled As he went on his merry way. And then Daddy’s homemade cooler, A big box lined with excelsior, A pipe around the top with holes punched Attached to the yard hose to drip. In the box was a big oscillating fan He bought second hand from a bank, His water cooler was the talk of the town, His ingenuity to thank. We splashed in the yard in our bathing suits, There were no home pools, few trees, no shortage of laughter, Fun was fun hot or cool, We got by happy ever after.