With all this talk about player piano motors that run backward,
I just had to resurrect my poem about The Contrary Carousel from
the MMD Archives.


The Contrary Carousel - An original poem by Joyce Brite

With excitement the package was opened,
And the object inside revealed.
The gleaming contents shone merrily,
As the carton was unsealed.

The box contained a carousel,
To adorn my Christmas tree.
With horses going round and round,
In holiday festivity.

The ornament had shiny mirrors,
And red and gold and green,
Revolving horses on their poles,
Complete this merry scene.

It must have been a Brit who
Designed this carousel,
'Cause the horses are facing clockwise,
As anyone can tell.

I placed the ornament on my tree,
Then carefully plugged it in,
And the activated carousel,
At once began to spin.

But there was something wrong,
Very wrong indeed!
It must have been a Yank who made
The motor for the steeds.

The motor sent the horses spinning
Counter-clockwise you see,
The horses were going backwards!
The components did not agree.

So here I am at Christmas time,
Before a decorated tree,
Filled with ornaments of every kind,
Bringing loads of yuletide glee.

Yet among the happy ornaments
Is a contrary carousel,
With backwards-riding horses
Gliding along pell-mell!

(Copyright 1999 by Joyce Brite and Mechanical Music Digest.
May not be reprinted, reproduced, or redistributed without
permission from Joyce Brite and the Mechanical Music Digest.)

Joyce Brite
Player Piano and Mechanical Music Exchange
http://mmd.foxtail.com/Exchange/