Memory to Mom and Dad

Ma and The Auto by Edgar A Guest

The poems written by Edgar A. Guest are humorous and serious. His poem "Home" starts out "It takes a heap of living in a house to make it home". They spell out what goes on in the every day life of people like you and me. They will make you laugh and cry. They remind you of forgotten memories. They make you glad there once was a man name Edgar and he liked to write poetry.

I use to recite Mr. Guests poems in school, when I was a young girl, and share them with my friends. They were written a long time ago and brought me pleasure. They may even be the reason why I sometimes write down a few lines of poetry myself. I hope they bring you pleasure too.


MA AND THE AUTO

 
Before we take an auto ride Pa says to Ma:
      "My dear,
Now just remember I don't need suggestions
     from the rear.
If you will just sit still back there and hold
     in check your fright,
I'll take you where you want to go and get
     you back all right.
Remember that my hearing's good and also I'm
     not blind,
And I can drive this car without suggestions
     from behind."

Ma promises that she'll keep still, then off we
     gayly start,
But soon she notices ahead a peddler and his
     cart
"You'd better toot your horn," says she, "to let
     him know we're near;
He might turn out!" and Pa replies:  "Just
     shriek at him, my dear."
And then he adds: "Some day, some guy will
     make a lot of dough
By putting horns on tonneau seats for women-
     folks to blow!"

A little farther on Ma cries:  "He signaled for
     a turn!"
And Pa says: "Did he?" in a tone that's hot
     enough to burn.
"Oh, and there's a boy on roller skates!"  cries Ma.
     "Now do go slow.
I'm sure he doesn't see our car."  And Pa says:
     "I dunno,
I think I don't need glasses yet, but really it
     may be
That I am blind and cannot see what's right
     in front of me."


If Pa should speed the car a bit some rigs to
     hurry past
Ma whispers:  "Do be careful now.  You're
     driving much too fast."
And all the time she's pointing out the dangers
     of the street
And keeps him posted on the roads where 
     trolley cars he'll meet.
Last night when we got safely home, Pa sighed
     and said:  "My dear,
I'm sure we've all enjoyed the drive you gave
    us from the rear!"


In the late 40's and early 50's my Dad would take my Mom for a ride in our 1936 Ford. You had to crank it on the outside (in the front part of the car) and use a throttle to get it going. Of course, we kids had to go along. I had two younger brothers. The car always broke down in front of my boyfriends house and I would die of mortification thinking that my boyfriend might spy me stuck in this car that was "old" and had too many problems.

I now love this memory. How much my Dad must have loved my Mother to take her for this ride after working hard all day long. I don't believe she ever gave him a rough time while driving, although she use to say, "Now Allen" a lot. But I don't think that had to do with his driving.

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Page Last Updated: May 14, 2001