Home built into hillside
Limited where she could go
The little girl stood on the deck
And watched the water flow
“She doesn’t talk!” her mother wailed
And true, she spoke not a word
But watched the river morn ’til dusk
Adults found this absurd –
“Can you say Dada,” her father said
Hoping to break through
“How ’bout Nana,” Grandma said
But she ignored that too
The water flowed. It churned and toiled,
Dirty brown below her
One year passed, then two, then three
Still mute – no one could know her
Then one day, as the river flowed..
Her mother said, “I feel a –“
But her daughter interrupted her
And said, “Monongahela.”
Her mother stopped. Her mother stared.
“What did you say, dear daughter?”
“Monongahela,” said the girl.
“That’s the name of the water.”
From that time on she talked and talked
’bout turtles, carp and bass
And muddy water, boats, and birds
That she had watched go past
Monongahela — what a name
She said it o’er and o’er
The water she had watched so long
That flowed below her door.
Violet (the Poet of the Week for the W3 challenge) said, “Choose one of these three artworks and let it take you wherever it wants. Write whatever it stirs in you — a memory, a question, a scene, a poem.” She had three pieces posted, but I chose Pittsburgh People – (1942) by Reynold Weidenaar.
My sister used to live in Pittsburgh. I remember going to visit her and taking my kids to ride the incline, a cable-car-train thing that had originally been used to transport workers up and down the steep slope.
Pittsburgh also has three rivers — the Allegheny and Monongahela converge to form the Ohio. They were there at the bottom.
Monongahela is just a fun word to say, though. And Violet said, “… whatever stirs in you.” Monongahela.
Hot Dogs and Marmalade 
I love this Sally 💜💜
Thanks, Willow!
Sally, this is delightful!! ❤️
Thanks, Kim!
I see now why you’ve been on hiatus! This is phenomenal 🤩 I am over the moon!
Sometimes I just don’t have words! Thank you, Violet
Wonderful poem, Sally.
Thanks, Nancy!
Interesting. I’m learning things today!
Good job! That’s important to do
Sally I love this poem/story!
Aw, thanks 🙂
You’re most welcome!
Lovely story my friend
Thank you, Sadje
You’re most welcome
This is beautiful, Sally. I grew up in Pittsburgh and know well all the things you mention. Rivers have always held a special place in my heart, and this poem touches those feelings.
Aw, thanks Dan. I have nothing but good memories of Pittsburgh. We took our family to watch baseball games at Three River Stadium and visited the Carnegie Science Museum there. But yes, I love rivers too. My property borders the Susquehanna, but Susquehanna is nowhere near as much fun to say is Monongahela.
To add a bit of confusion to the word soup, I went to West Virginia University which is in Morgantown, in Monongalia County — even spell check can’t accept that one. The Monongahela River flows through Morgantown and the county.
Haha — I love it!
This really got to me. I love how the river becomes her first language, and how “Monongahela” comes out in its own time, not because anyone asked for it…
~David
Thanks, David. Languages have always been a fascination for me, and I too love that her first language is the river.
🤗
i’m on a rabbit hole of Pittsburgh river history now, fascinating and thank you
As a rabbit hole frequenter, I’m thrilled! You’re welcome.
Thisis such a lovely poem, Sally. Loved it. Congrats on being a POW.
Thank you!
You are welcome, dear.
Thanks for sharing. I used to work for the Pittsburgh Pirates down at their Spring Training facility in Florida. Two years of it and this year we moved. I am disappointed I had to give up that job.
This is wonderful! The artwork connected beautifully with your backstory. Congratulations!