Many of you may have already seen this...I found it in my father's things. Happy Birthday to the "Wizard of AHZ"- February 7th.
Ode to a Sign Kit by Paul Ascherel
You sit forlorn on the old shop floor The time has come I'll need you no more For thirty years you were by my side You were my companion, my helper, my pride
I contemplate your battered shape, One corner patched with masking tape Colorfully splattered and full of dents I recall what each mark represents
That spot of ochre in fifty-four A boat I lettered by the ocean shore A hazy smudge of Brilliant Blue, The pickup truck for Old Man Drew
Some gold leaf sticking to the paint An office door or haloed saint An errant blotch of Fire Red That "Coke" sign on a farmer's shed
My eyes now o'er your contents run I touch each object one by one My favorite fitch - that old snap-line The half filled can of turpentine
That well worn mahlstick, broken chalk My dear old friend - if you could talk Lard oil, pounce bags, charcoal sticks, All needed for the sign man's tricks
Those worn out quills not thrown away Lie on the bottom in disarray Like friends from whom one cannot part Each left a warm spot in my heart
Let others choose the factory pall Confinement of an office wall Or jobs monotonous and drear That never change from year to year
Give me the breeze on a summer's day The smell of turpentine and hay Suspended on a scaffold high where birds approach to criticize And see that I dot all the "i's"
So misty eyed I close the lid Ne'er regretting what I did A life of memories I have made Having picked the sign man's trade
Posted by Doug Allan (Member # 2247) on :
That's a great poem. Thanks.
Posted by Stephen Faulkner (Member # 2511) on :
Hi Kimberly, I had a copy of this taped inside the lid of my kit, from when it was printed in Sign Craft magazine. At the time I was working with one of the old great sign guys in my area Kip Littlefield, I would tease him about all the stories his box of goodies could tell.... later when the computer came into the trade our sign kits became less familiar to us.... but every time I would open mine the poem would run through my head. A couple years ago it finally fell off and blew away in a muddy truck lot where I was pinstriping on a cold fall day.....
2002 was my 25th year as a sign guy and it has made me recall much of the past... my old buddy Kip, who taught me most of what I practice as a sign painter, suffered a debilitating stroke a couple years ago, I see him regularly and I'll be printing this out and take a copy over to him, I'm sure it will be another long day and night of jokes and reminising. Thanks Kimberly.... what great timing.
Posted by Monte Jumper (Member # 1106) on :
Wonderful Kimberly...I am going to copy that (if it's ok) and put it in my mentors sign kit (I have it here at the shop) Pat calls it my shrine.
Do you have any info on the author?
[ February 06, 2003, 06:42 PM: Message edited by: Monte Jumper ]
Posted by Kimberly Zanetti (Member # 2546) on :
Please feel free to copy it. I have idea who the author is...anyone know?
The copy I have was done in calligraphy by John Stevens (one of the greats and a good friend of my dad)...unfortunately, it's only a color photocopy but I'd be happy to make you one and mail it to you Monte.
Posted by timi NC (Member # 576) on :
John Stevens lives right here in town,I think maybe some research is in order,...He helps with the caligraphy center in the arts district,...thanks Kimberly for the poem and if ya don't mind I may mention your and your father's name while inquiring about the author.
Posted by Monte Jumper (Member # 1106) on :
What a stroke of luck Timi...I sure would love a copy of the caligraphy copy Kimberly...when you have time.
What a neat project ...I hope we get all the info on it!
Kimberly do you have a pic of your dad from the "84" meet? I have a project panel on my wall from Rogers signs... (some where back east)from the "84" meet.I'm trying to get a good pic of it (it's an etched glass piece with atkinsons image on it) and it refuses to come up in a photo.)I'll keep trying) and will post it when I get it right.
Posted by Kathy Joiner (Member # 1814) on :
Kimberly, thank you that is certainly a touching poem. As I read, I could see that kit in my minds eye. I couldn't help but wonder how it would feel to have lived that life like so many on this board have.
C'mon guys and gals, share your thoughts and memories as you read the poem.
Posted by Kimberly Zanetti (Member # 2546) on :
Here you go Monte...that's Mark Baty on the left and my dad on the right. Man, he looks young there...must have been 40 years old.
I know exactly which panel you're talking about Monte...I have a picture of it here too in this photo album but I doubt it would come across if I tried to scan it. Neat piece.
Timi, feel free to mention my dad and or me to John if you speak to him. He's a super guy. I was just emailing with him recently. Talented just doesn't begin to cover it when you're talking about him.
Posted by Mark Neurohr (Member # 2470) on :
Very cool Kimberly!!
Thanks for sharing the post!!
Mark
Posted by Bob Burns (Member # 268) on :
I hope my kids do half as well "remembering" me, as Kimberly remembers HER Dad! You're "good" K.
Posted by FranCisco Vargas (Member # 145) on :
Thats a really cool poem, Thanks again Kimberly
Posted by Kimberly Zanetti (Member # 2546) on :
Thanks Bob, I really appreciate that. Being an only child, I sometimes feel like I'm the "keeper of the flame" now that he's gone. Especially on days like today, his birthday. Keep your eyes on the sunset tonight guys, I'll betcha he'll be up to his old tricks.
To celebrate, I'm off to spend the weekend at a Letterhead Meet!
Posted by cheryl nordby (Member # 1100) on :
Yeah that is a great poem. And yes what Bob said Kimberly! Posted by PKing (Member # 337) on :
THANKS Kimberly! A "copy" you have would go very well with the video I purchased for my up coming apprentice.
Posted by Bob Rochon (Member # 30) on :
Kimberly,
I echo what Bob said, somehow I feel the greatest legacy your dad may have left was not in his sign work but in you instead.
Thanks for all the sharing!
Posted by bill riedel (Member # 607) on :
Kimberly, you went and did it. You made me cry with that beautiful poem. Having lived through all the experiences of sign painting for so many years, it is so wonderfully worded and brings so many good memories. Many times while working on a sign I had the feeling that there just couldn't be a better job to be had.
Posted by Kimberly Zanetti (Member # 2546) on :
I teared up a handful of times myself Bill while I was trying to type that. I'm glad you enjoyed it.
Posted by Neil D. Butler (Member # 661) on :
Kimberly Kimberly, It's funny what simple things, like words, can do to unlock the vault of memories in your mind. I really don't do much anything by hand anymore, sometimes I wish I did, there's nothing that can satisfy, quite like lettering by Hand. As Bob Hope used to always say... "Thanks for the Memories".
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