A Poem on the Underground Wall

In 1964 Simon and Garfunkel released their first studio album titled “Wednesday Morning, 3 A.M.”

I’d like to take this moment to announce that this website is now dedicated to the folk rock music scene of the 60’s. Tomorrow’s entry is about Joan Baez.

Okay, not really.

If you’re not familiar with the album cover, here it is:

I read about the photo session when this picture was taken. Art Garfunkel recalled how the two of them dressed in their best suits and took photo after photo of them against the concrete walls of the New York subway.

The wall was heavily graffitied.

When they felt they had nailed the look they were going for, they turned back and noticed, in very prominent lettering, was, as he put it, the familiar four letter suggestion.

Of course they had to start over. I doubt any record store would have carried an album with that word on it.

And yes, it’s THAT word.

I think it would have been an amazing picture. I like juxtaposition. In my shoots I love beautiful dresses in decaying buildings. The idea of two teenagers in their Sunday best with FUCK spraypainted behind them is amazing.

This moment inspired Paul Simon to write a song called “A Poem on the Underground Wall” which appeared on a later album.

I knew of the song prior to the story. I liked the song. 

The last train is nearly due
The underground is closing soon
And in the dark deserted station
Restless in anticipation
A man waits in the shadows

His restless eyes leap and scratch
At all that they can touch or catch
And hidden deep within his pocket
Safe within his silent socket
He holds a colored crayon

Now from the tunnel’s stony womb
The carriage rides to meet the groom
And opens wide and welcome doors
But he hesitates, then withdraws
Deeper in the shadows

And the train is gone suddenly
On wheels clicking silently
Like a gently tapping litany
And he holds his crayon rosary
Tighter in his hand

Now from his pocket quick he flashes
The crayon on the wall he slashes
Deep upon the advertising
A single-worded poem comprised
Of four letters

And his heart is laughing, screaming, pounding
The poem across the tracks rebounding
Shadowed by the exit light
His legs take their ascending flight
To seek the breast of darkness and be suckled by the night

All of this, the lyrics, the story, was on my mind while Shannonlee took photos of an amazing dress from Venus during November’s photo shoot.

Here’s why. 

Of course, we took other pictures besides the one with such scandalous language.

This was a fun shoot and I love this dress. 

For what it’s worth, when I first heard “A Poem on the Underground Wall” I assumed the single-worded poem comprised of four letters was “love”.

lol, whoops.

Love, Hannah