Lamplighter of yesteryear
resides light years away.
Nightly strolls relocated,
he illuminates the stars.
Written for dVerse where I’m hosting today, asking folks to write a poem that contains the title of a Billboard Magazine #1 hit recording from the year they were born, or their early years of growing up. The Old Lamp Lighter, recorded by Sammy Kaye and His Orchestra, 1947. Below is a drawing my 10 year old grandson did for this post.
lillian the home poet 
Brilliant (pun intended). 😎🌹
LikeLike
You lit up my day 🙂 Ah yes, we do puntificate!!
LikeLike
The stars of yesteryears are bright and glowing ~ Nice drawing of your grandson as well ~
Thanks for hosting Lillian ~
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Grace. I’m always delighted to host and so enjoy seeing all the different kinds of replies to the prompts 🙂
LikeLike
Nice song, poem and picture by your grandson. We take so much for granted today about having lights at night.
LikeLiked by 1 person
We sure do. We flick a switch and voila, light. I remember camping and carrying the lantern on the road to the outhouse at night 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Nice poem. I sort of think I remember this song!
LikeLiked by 1 person
It was the year I was born so I wasn’t familiar with it til I found it. BUT, the poem, The Lamplighter by Robert Louis Stevenson in the Childrens Book of Verses was one of my favorites as a little girl. We had all the volumes of Childcraft and there was one of poetry that included The Lamplighter and one about a grandfather with purple glasses! 🙂
LikeLike
I do’t remember the childcraft. LOL, I was reading the encyclo Brittanica when I was six. Somehow, I think I reversed my childhood as a child and am getting in on it now.
LikeLike
I was 3 years old when that song was a hit. This was a very unique prompt–made me dip into buckets of remembrance. I was about 8 when I started paying attention to songs. By 1956, rock and roll replaced most ballads & hit parade favorites.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh yes….I watched Elvis Presley on the Ed Sullivan show with my mother and father shaking their heads in disapproval! Also saw the Beatles i their first US appearance on his show. 🙂 Glad you enjoyed the prompt!
LikeLike
Never heard the song until now…sounds a bit like Bing! The prompt lit up my night though 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
It does sound like a crooner! I’ve always thought in blurry soft images of the lamplighters during the Victorian age…romanticizing them. In reality, they were out whatever the weather at dusk to light the wicks with a long pole. And then they were up again as dawn broke, using the “hook end” of their pole, putting out the candles. And of course, they also had to maintain them!
LikeLike
Tough gig. Have fun on your travels and enjoy Ireland, home of my parents and ancestors.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I loved that song! I think it was Sammy Kaye. Great challenge. Enjoy your travels.
LikeLiked by 1 person
A 1947 top hit by Sammy Kaye and his orchestra. The year I was born and when I was listening to it, I could imagine my folks dancing to it at the Aragon Ballroom which, I think, was in Grayslake, Illinois. 🙂 Glad you enjoyed the challenge and yes — I’ve now listened to the song a number of times and really enjoy the lilting melody — dancing music for sure.
LikeLike
Excellent Lillian. Thankfully yesteryear’s lamplighters are still at work!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Glad you enjoyed!
LikeLike
Oh, I love that last line, especially. And your sweet grandson’s drawing!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks! I was going to make the poem longer but everything just looked like “add-on lines.” And I realized these few words said it all. Sometimes short is enough😊
LikeLike
A beautiful poem and such a lovely soothing song! I especially love ‘he illuminates the stars’ and your grandson’s drawing for this post is super! :o)
LikeLiked by 1 person
Aha! I did find your comment in my spam. I can’t imagine why. I’m so glad you alerted me and also thankful for your lovely comment here! I did not find any comments on the main dVerse spam though so will check on that for you.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you Lillian, I am so glad you found my comment. I have contacted the Happiness Engineers at WordPress because all the comments I left on yesterday’s dVerse trail seem to have ended up in people’s spam folders. Thank you again for hosting a wonderful prompt and I wish you and your husband an amazing time on your Transatlantic cruise xxx
LikeLiked by 1 person
That was a great ending; lighting the stars now. I think it’s a way better gig. He might need a lot longer pole though. That’s a great adaptation of the poem. It’s great going from postwar era to infinity and beyond. You’ve captured all of us there! Have a great voyage
LikeLiked by 1 person
Better gig indeed….much more bling! 🙂 Thanks for the travel well wishes.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Happy Trails Lillian
LikeLiked by 1 person
I love the third line.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes indeed….from the country/town dirt lanes to the gorgeous bling of night stars. Good relocation, eh?
LikeLike
Sweet. And getting the family involved
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks! My grandson loves to draw 🙂
LikeLike
I love the idea of the old lamplighter lighting up the stars!
LikeLike
I can’t believe we posted the same video and song, Lilian! I was not going to post anything because I could not decide between two songs. We share the same birth year it seemsl
LikeLiked by 1 person
🙂 See my comment on yours! What is the likelihood of this happening??? So funny but wonderful too! May 13 — now THAT would be something if we shared the same birth day too! 🙂 LOVED your take on the song. 🙂 I’d never heard it until I happened to click on it in the Billboard link. I’d been thinking of Peg O My Heart…
LikeLike