Sunday, July 3, 2016

Statue of Liberty Renovation, 1984

I'd like you to meet my Uncle Fred...

Frederick L. Harris, master crane operator

THE TORCH

Each of us has a moment of fame to shine as the star of the show;
a time to behold our very name setting the marquee lights aglow!
It is likely the day fore or aft is spent with the mainstream, obscure,
but for one golden instant we waft in glory no man can ignore!
 It was like that when our dear Uncle Fred (a rank and file kind of guy)
who worked hard for butter and bread, at once was thrust in the public eye.
He operated a long-necked crane (master of operation, he was)
the day of his notable reign, when folks around bestowed a great fuss.
The old torch he deftly brought down, Nineteen Eighty Four, Fourth of July,
from Miss Liberty, donned in her gown, as the nation stood looking by.
The Lady needed restoration, a new torch to lift in her hand.
It evoked a huge celebration, including a full-dress brass band!
Papers carried Uncle Fred's photo, he was on the News on TV…
Suddenly a star of the nation! The pride of our whole family!!!
Aunt Carol was phoned by reporters, seeking facts about her lime-lit spouse.
Said she resented his orders to work on the Fourth, which kept her in-house!
Said she'd rather gone on a picnic or watched the neighborhood parade
or seen the current pick-flick, unaware history was being made
by her modest, hard-working spouse. Of course, when at last she understood,
and realized that this honor was great, she burst pride-buttons as one would.
Our family still gets to snicker about our aunt when Uncle Fred ran the crane
and each year as fireworks flicker, we salute his great day of fame!

Maude Carolan

Happy 4th of July, 2016!

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