GK: Memorial Day in Washington--the marching bagpipe bands, (PIPES), the Air Force flyover (SFX), those were the F-16s and then there's the biplane flyover (ONE PROP PLANE) and the hot air balloon flyover (SFX) and the Canada geese flyover (SFX), and the various units from the bureaucratic corps ----- the precision photocopying unit (MARCHING FEET, RHYTHMIC COPIERS) and the briefcase drill team (D.I. COMMANDS, MARCHING FEET) and the laying of the wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Poet.
The poet who we think wrote:
She'll be comin' round the mountain,
When she comes.
She'll be comin' round the mountain,
When she comes.
So there are six white horses in the parade (SFX) and because it is about poetry, there are beautiful sad women (WEEPING WOMAN) and there are turtledoves (SFX) because dove rhymes with "love" and there is a hearse (HORN) because we think this poet also wrote
nnnnnDo you ever think as a hearse goes by,
nnnnnthat you may be the next to die?
nnnnnThey wrap you up in a big white sheet
nnnnnFrom your head down to your feet.
nnnnnThey put you in a big black box,
nnnnnAnd cover you up with dirt and rocks.
nnnnnThe worms crawl in, the worms crawl out,
nnnnnThe worms play pinochle on your snout.
And we have some people from Nantucket who have a rod and reel (SFX) and wear big boots and bring a foghorn (SFX) because we think the anonymous poet wrote:
nnnnnThere once was a man from Nantucket
nnnnnnnWho kept all his gold in a bucket.
nnnnnnnnnBut his daughter, named Nan,
nnnnnnnnnRan away with a man
nnnnnnnAnd as for the bucket, Nantucket.
That's this weekend at the Tomb of the Unknown Poet, here in Washington DC. It's not easy to find. He really was unknown. Just look for the pig. We are pretty sure that he wrote:
One night in late October,
When I was far from sober,
Returning from the bar with manly pride,
My feet began to flutter
So I lay down in the gutter
And a pig came near and lay down by my side.
A lady passing by was heard to say:
"You can tell a man who boozes
By the company he chooses,"
And the pig got up, and slowly walked away. (PIG)