Boston, USA, poems in the rain, and poems on the train

Into every life a little rain poem must fall. First we had rude rhyming graffiti in toilets. Some were humorous. I bought a book of them. I remember one: "My mother made me a gay." Riposte: "If I gave her some knitting wool, would she make me one?"

Then in London we had Poems on the Underground. You can read them while you are sitting, if you look across and up. Or buy the book from the London Transport Museum or on line.

Picture from Wikipedia.

In Singapore quotations appear on posters which you read as you walk along the corridors from one line to the next at interchanges. The most familiar one is: A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. Lao Tsu.

Poems appear to attract your eye to messages suggesting that you move along the train, in Singapore and London.

In London we have have poems reminding us what to do. The same goes for Toronto in Canada.

Boston Poems on Pavement
When I say pavement, writing in England, pavement refers to what Americans call Sidewalk. To Americans pavement is what we call tarmac, in the road itself.

Now in 2016 in Boston, USA, poems are appear on pavements when it rains.  What a great idea to brighten rainy days.

How do they do it. Using stencils and water-repellent spray. So you cut out the letters of the poetry on a large card or sheet of metal. Spray over the stencil.

Umbrella Poems
Another idea I like is poems on umbrellas. I've seen quotations about into every life a little rain must fall. You can order customised umbrellas through websites.

I love Ralph's umbrella poem about a smile being an umbrella and even a broken umbrella protects you from the rain.

POEMS AND RHYMES
The first poem or rhyme I ever heard about rain was:

The rain in Spain 

Fall mainly on the plain. 

I think that was from an elocution class.

Upon us all
A little rain must fall.

Everybody wants happiness
Nobody wants rain
But you can't have a rainbow
Without a little rain.

Here's one I have just composed:

Sun and Rain, Snow and Rainbow
by Angela Lansbury

Without the rain the ground would harden
The rain does my work and waters my garden
It's not as good as the warming sun
Not as bad as snow - though some think skiing's fun

Even if it rains for hours and hours
Afterwards we have trees full of fancy flowers
Water for the vase, washing dishes in the sink
For washing pretty clothes, when thirsty you can drink

You'll need a lot of rain
Because when drought comes again
You can't deny it,
Governments buy it

Running to the station you can shelter from the rain
Use the handle to grab bars above on the train
Or lean on it like a walking stick
In the park use the point to shove aside a brick

If you don't think it'll rain
A small, compact one will do
Or a can't lose, bold, big one
For cuddling up for two

They've dammed the rivers, walk round the reservoir
Water is needed wherever you are
So make the best of the rainy weather
With a happy quotation on a bright red umbrella.

Angela Lansbury
2016 May 22 copyright

QUOTATIONS
Into every life a little rain must fall.
You can't have a rainbow without rain.

WEBSITES SIDEWALK POETRY
http://boston.cbslocal.com/2016/05/19/boston-hidden-sidewalk-poetry/
http://www.citylab.com/navigator/2016/05/boston-raining-poetry-sidewalk-street-art-invisible-graffiti/483512/
WEBSITES POEMS ON TRAINS
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poems_on_the_Underground
http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2013/sep/30/transport-for-london-poetry-etiquette-commuters

WEBSITES POEMS ABOUT UMBRELLAS
http://hellopoetry.com/words/1017/umbrella/poems/
http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/my-umbrella/
For primary school teachers or parents:
http://thisreadingmama.com/free-rainy-day-pre-kk-pack-updated-expanded/

QUOTATIONS WEBSITES FOR PERSONALISING UMBRELLAS
http://www.bestsayingsquotes.com/quote/all-of-those-moments-will-be-lost-like-tears-in-the-rain-1858.html

Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer.