Labor Day 2019

My neighborhood is quiet,
no cars parked along the curb,
temperatures in the mid nighties,
and the sky is clearing of clouds.

Some of the neighborhood children
are outside playing,
some are inside,
and others are off on adventures
of their own.

It's a pleasant Monday,
a pleasant Labor Day.


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A Two Carafe Coffee Day

Kamal (Perfection), 19 Asmá’ (Names), 172 BE - Monday, September 7, 2015 about 3:26 pm Pacific Daylight Time

Labor Day
is a two carafe coffee day
the only thing I want to do
is write.

I go to the kitchen,
pour myself another cup of coffee
and then stand at the window
looking out into the street.

I watch children
riding their bicycles
past my window,
I smile
because they are using the sidewalk
rather the riding
them in the street,

It isn't safe
to ride bicycles
in the street
because drivers speed
the wrong
without considerations
for pedestrians
or bicycling children.

Monday: Labor Day 2013 – A Labor Day wish in Las Vegas

Kamál (Perfection), 14 Asmá’ (Names), 170 BE – Monday, September 2, 2013 about 4:43 PM Pacific Daylight Time

I wish I had a job to go to so that I could enjoy staying home from work on Labor Day. I would enjoy staying home if I worked out of the house and could bring in a little extra money. I am not sure what type of job I would want probably something that let me get a little exercise, but also let me work online or at least on a computer.

I did not know how much I enjoyed working outside the house. I want a job that lets me work four or five days a week, with weekends off. All though, I am not sure what I would do on the weekend. In summer, I could go to a park and have a picnic, but a picnic is more fun with two or more people. I wonder how much fun it would be by myself.

I could go to a restaurant. I would still be alone; however, I would be in a crowded place where groups of people are enjoying conversation and food. It may be interesting enjoy the ambience and write poetry while I was eating. I enjoy writing poetry and it is something I could do while I eat. Still, it is not much fun going to a restaurant alone.

I do not have a job to go to, so that I could enjoy a Labor Day off. I suppose I could try some of these things. I could see how enjoyable they are when I am alone.

Upcoming Holiday: Labor Day

Kamál (Perfection), 8 Asmá’ (Names), 169 BE – Monday, August 27, 2012 about 11:25 AM Pacific Time

Labor Day, observed the first Monday in September, falls on September 3 this year. Labor Day is a Federal Holiday and there will be no postal delivery. In addition, the banks, Federal, and state offices are closed. Labor Day celebrates the contributions of workers.

I am trying to remember how we celebrated Labor Day when I was a child. I know we didn’t go to school that day. I think my mother worked because she was a food server and the restaurant where she worked remained open. I don’t think my grandfather worked that day, so I suppose we stayed at my grandparents house.

The weather in Oklahoma was warm and summery on Labor Day. I believe Grandpa took us to the Lake on Friday every after school let out or on Saturday morning. At the Lake, we swim, fished, water skied, and played. Grandpa had a garden, so we also worked in the garden.

On Labor Day, the daycare center Mom attends is closed. Since Mom is home all day, I have to figure out what to fix for our breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I also need to find something to keep Mom busy and her mind occupied. I’ll figure out something between now and then.

Happy Labor Day

Kamál (Perfection), 17 Asmá’ (Names), 167 BE – Monday, September 5, 2011 about 12:00 PM Pacific Time

Happy Labor Day, the day we celebrate the contribution of the ordinary working person to civilization and society. I sent one of my brothers a text wishing him a “Happy Labor Day”. He responded with a message that said “Happy” and “Labor” are contradictions in terms.

Perhaps, since I have not worked outside the house in a long time, I am not sure one-way or the other. Anyway, have an enjoyable Labor Day and picnic if it is not raining. It is cloudy here in Las Vegas. When I took a bag of trash to the garage, I felt a drop of rain hit my left arm.

Clouds cover the sky
Promise rain in Las Vegas
The day is cooler

Monday is Labor Day

Monday is Labor Day. Summer is over. The full equinox may not be here, but summer is over. Children are going back to school. Stores are having Labor Day sales. I'm thankful that the next power bill, which is due October 6, is under $300.00.

Summer is over
the neighbor's dog is barking
good-bye to hot days.

I did a load of laundry this morning and the neighbor's dog barked. I think he barked at me, but I'm not sure. He could have been barking at a bird or another neighbor's cat. There is a fence between my backyard and the neighbor's, so I could see what the dog was barking at.

Bird song echoing
sweet melody of summer
autumn approaches.

I Googled Labor Day

Jamál (Beauty), 12 Asma (Names), 165 B.E. – Sunday, August 31, 2008 about 6:44 AM Pacific Time

I Googled Labor Day this morning. I was looking for information to poem in an acrostic poem about this holiday. Some of this information I probably learned as a child, but forgot it because I was not interested in writing poems about this specific day.

I found a web site giving The History of Labor Day. This holiday begin in 1882, on Tuesday, September 5, with a celebration in New York City hosted by the Central Labor Union. In 1884, the first Monday in September recieved the officially designation as Labor Day. People referred to it as "the working man's" holiday and became a nation wide celebration sometime between 1884 and 1892.

I have already written two Labor Day poems and posted them one two of my blogs, those poems are The Last Saturday in August and The Last Sunday in August, but neither one of them is an acrostic poem. The reason I want to write an acrostic poem celebrating Labor Day, is because that form spells a word along the left margin using the lines of the poem. This form makes a good poem to use in commemorating holidays.

The Last Saturday in August

Jalál (Glory), 11 Asma (Names), 165 B.E. – Saturday, August 30, 2008 about 8:47 AM Pacific Time

This is the last Saturday in August,
on Monday September begins;
September 1 is the first Monday in September;
Labor Day.

When I was a child,
Labor Day was picnic day,
hot dog day,
visiting with my grandparents' day,
going to the Lake day,
going swimming day,
going water skiing day,
etc.

On the last Saturday in August,
I remember the joy
of driving to the Lake
on a Friday night knowing
we did not have to return to Blackwell
until late Monday evening;
knowing that there would be no school until Tuesday.

I remember
looking forward to going back to school
on Tuesday morning
when the first activity of the day
was "Show and Tell"
and everyone has something to say
about their Labor Day weekend.

Labor Day is coming on Monday, September 1, 2008

Fidál (Grace), 7 Asma (Names), 165 B.E. – Tuesday, August 26, 2008 about 5:47 PM Pacific Time

Since Labor Day is Monday, September 1, 2008, I have been trying to remember how my family celebrated it when I was a child. I can remember Fourth of July celebrations. I can remember Memorial Day trips to decorate graves. I cannot remember any special way we celebrated Labor Day.

I think we might have gone to the lake just outside of Blackwell, Oklahoma, for a picnic. However, since my grandparents took us to that lake almost every weekend. My memories of picnics there could be part of some other trip to The Lake. That is what we called it, which is probably why I cannot remember its name.

I am attempting to write a Labor Day poem this year. I would like to include a childhood memory. I suppose memories of eating hot dogs and watermelon at The Lake could apply to Labor Day weekend, as well as any other weekend. I associate hot dogs and watermelons with Labor Day and the Fourth of July, so perhaps some of those memories are from Labor Day celebrations.

I will be off Labor Day, but I do not think we are going to go on a picnic that day. I am going to United Blood Services to donate blood. Then I am going to come home, do some writing and housework or something like that.

Maybe I could write a poem about giving blood on Labor Day. However, I am not sure how I could incorporate childhood memories of hot dogs and watermelon. I do want to write a poem about donating blood, but that subject just does not seem to go with hot dogs and watermelon. I will have to think about that for a while.