The ants go marching one by one, hurrah, hurrah.
The ants go marching one by one, hurrah, hurrah.
The ants go marching one by one,
The little one stops to suck his thumb
And they all go marching down to the ground
To get out of the rain, BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
— Robert D. Singleton
On a walk the other day, I came upon a flyer that reminded me of a counting song, “The Ants Go Marching,” from my childhood. A bit of research revealed that it was based on a Civil War tune, “When Johnny Comes Marching Home,” sung by Union and Confederate soldiers celebrating their return from the war. It turns out that this ditty has a more extended history because the melody comes from “Johnny Fill Up the Bowl,” a popular drinking song of that same era
The poem on the poster struck me as strangely delightful. Since I haven’t seen this poster anywhere else in town and couldn’t find the text online, I decided to share it with you.
HELLO, & TELL ME ABOUT YOUR DREAMS
HAVE YOU DREAMT OF FALLING IN LOVE WITH SOMEONE MADE ENTIRELY OF BEES?
OR A STATUE, A VOLCANO, A WASHING MACHINE, A PAPER MACHÉ VERSION OF YOURSELF?
ARE YOUR DREAMS WORTHY OF A PAINTER OF SHIPWRECKS?
MAYBE YOU’RE IN LOVE WITH THAT WASHING MACHINE, DYING OF CANCER, AND DON’T KNOW HOW TO SAY GOODBYE.
DO YOU DREAM ABOUT FLOATING THROUGH WALLS, FALLING THROUGH THE CEILING?
IS THE ARCHITECTURE OF YOUR DREAMS A COMPOSITE OF WHERE YOU GREW UP AND WHERE YOU LIVE NOW?
CAN YOU TRAVEL IN TIME?
CAN YOU TELL WHETHER YOUR DREAMS ARE THE RESULTS OF YOUR THOUGHTS OR THE OTHER WAY AROUND?
MAYBE IN YOUR SLEEP ANTS HAVE CRAWLED INTO YOUR MOUTH AND NOW THEY ARE INSIDE YOU, CONTROLLING YOU.
MAYBE YOU’RE MORE ANT THAN PERSON.
MAYBE EVERYONE THAT YOU ASSUMED WAS IN HEAVEN IS ACTUALLY HIDING IN THE BLACKBIRDS YOU SEE ON YOUR WALK TO WORK.
MAYBE YOU DREAM THAT THERE’S AN IMPOSSIBLE HOLE IN THE MIDDLE OF YOUR BODY THAT DOES NOT MAKE SENSE.
MAYBE YOU ARE THE HOLE THAT DOES NOT MAKE SENSE.
MAYBE YOUR HOUSE BURNT DOWN AND NOW YOU’VE BUILT YOURSELF INTO A HOUSE.
HOW DO YOU SAY GOODBYE TO A WASHING MACHINE?
MAYBE YOU DON’T DREAM AT ALL, WHICH SEEMS TRAGIC.
HAVE YOU OR THE ANTS INSIDE OF YOU HAD ANY OF THESE DREAMS?
HAVE YOU DREAMT OF SOMETHING THIS FLYER CAN’T EVEN IMAGINE?
PLEASE TEXT AT MY NUMBER.
HAVE PATIENCE. IT WILL COME TO YOU.
I’m curious to hear how the poem lands with you. Please let me know in the comments section.
I captured the photo at the top of today’s post earlier this week.
In case you’re wondering, I kept the text in ALL CAPS because that’s how the writer published it. My only change was turning a period into a quesion mark (in the last question). And, no, the poet’s phone number does not appear anywhere on the poster.
Your thoughts?
Please let us know your perspective! Add your comments, reactions, suggestions, ideas, etc., by first logging in to your Mind in Motion account and then clicking here.
Commenting on blog posts is available to anyone with a Mind in Motion Online account.
- Join in by getting your free account, which gives you access to the e-book edition of Articulating Changes (Larry’s now-classic Master’s thesis), ATM® lessons, and more — all at no charge whatsoever.
- To find out more and sign up, please click here.
- Want to share this blog post with a friend? You can email them the web address shown in your browser. Or share the post via social media by clicking on one of the following icons:
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License
[This license gives you permission to copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format for any purpose, even commercially. You may also remix, transform, and build upon the material. You must give appropriate credit, provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made.]
Responses:
Larry Goldfarb -August 16, 2024
Thanks, Francesco. Yes indeed, quite a mix of fanciful and concrete. The first of you questios reminded me of a movie, the second one is one I'm inspired to ask my friends! I loved the line, " . . . AND NOW YOU'VE BUILT YOURSELF INTO A HOUSE."
Larry Goldfarb -August 20, 2024
Thanks, Becci! Remy Charlip. There's a name that brings me back. I met in San Francisco in the 80s, having no idea of who he was and being totally charmed anyway.
Connie Forneris -August 16, 2024
Indeed, it does all come to you. But not necessarily in a regular form.
bruni.castejon@yahoo.es -August 16, 2024
I have other comments pending on your blog but this one! :))) c'est super yesterday I talked to the moon and maybe I might be THE HOLE THAT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE. :)) Today I'm going to the country I need to get out of the city . thanks Larry
Grace Walker -August 16, 2024
Our reality becomes our dreams. Or is it the other way around. Either way, let’s dream our reality and in that way turn the world around.
Larry Goldfarb -August 17, 2024
Well said, Connie. It does all come to you, but not necessarily when or how you want or wish it.
Rebecca Parsons -August 15, 2024
I loved the poem. It reminded me of Remi Charlip's book "Arm In Arm".
Larry Goldfarb -August 16, 2024
Merci Bruni - Did the moon have anything to say in response? ;-) (I <em>think</em> I've responded to your previous commments. They should be showing in the blogs you responded to - please let me know if they're not!)
Fraceambrosio Francesco -August 16, 2024
Very imaginative (FALLING IN LOVE WITH SOMEONE MADE ENTIRELY OF BEES) on one side and rationale (IS THE ARCHITECTURE OF YOUR DREAMS A COMPOSITE OF WHERE YOU GREW UP AND WHERE YOU LIVE NOW?) on the other. One could go ok ad libitum with images and phantasy: -Did you ever dream of a world upside down, living in the sky below and the earth above? -the planets you visited in your dreams were desert or inhabithed? MAYBE YOUR HOUSE BURNT DOWN AND NOW YOU’VE BUILT YOURSELF INTO A HOUSE. I liked: CAN YOU TELL WHETHER YOUR DREAMS ARE THE RESULTS OF YOUR THOUGHTS OR THE OTHER WAY AROUND? and MAYBE YOUR HOUSE BURNT DOWN AND NOW YOU’VE BUILT YOURSELF INTO A HOUSE.
Larry Goldfarb -August 15, 2024
Hmmm, a Zen monk dreamings he's a butterfly or a butterfly dreaming . . . I'm with you, dear Grace, let's dream and turn the world around.
Add your comment:
Please Log in to comment
