But, so many things we’d not considered,
Too numerous to mention;
Sometimes…when we turn our backs on progress,
Our own way of life…we’ve forsaken.

Well, we were soon to learn,
Just a bit of reality;
Our basic needs must still be met,
Namely…one thing…our laundry!

Sounds silly…but it’s true,
Men think about the ‘men-things’;
And, we women think differently,
Each…from their duties…they cannot shrink!

Me…being just a little girl,
Of course…I must help my mother;
And, wash-day was a lot of work,
WILDERNESS WASH DAY…wasn’t just like any other.

Heat up your water in a boiler,
On the top of your wood-stove;
Then, lug it…pail by pail,
To your two washtubs.

One was made for washing,
The other one…to rinse;
Between the two…a hand-wringer,
I bet it’s hard to picture this!

And, how do we get the clothes clean?
Why…we use a Yukon plunger;
Up and down…while the clothes go `round and `round,
Why…nothing could be clearer!

Our forefathers (mothers) would be quite happy,
To have such an invention as this;
But, for the twentieth century,
It made the work seem…endless.

Hang the clothes outside to dry,
Not really so hard to do;
Women have done this for a long time,
Really…It’s nothing new!

But, in the Winter…a different story,
Below zero…and outside they’ll not dry;
So, clotheslines strung throughout the log cabin,
“It’s just another WILDERNESS WASH DAY”…we cry!

Well, if our forefathers (mothers) did it,
I guess that we can…too;
Living off the land…not so much fun…now,
Maybe that’s why…pioneers…are so few!

********

June 20, 2004

Aimee Love
(LHG)