It's National Poetry Month!

In honor of National Poetry month, here are a couple of census-related poems. How appropriate!

Madam and the Census Man

by Langston Hughes

The census man,

The day he came round,

Wanted my name

To put it down.

I said, JOHNSON,

ALBERTA K.

But he hated to write

The K that way.

He said, What

Does K stand for?

I said, K--

And nothing more.

He said, I'm gonna put it

KÐAÐY.

I said, If you do,

You lie.

My mother christened me

ALBERTA K.

You leave my name

Just that way!

He said, Mrs.,

(With a snort)

Just a K

Makes your name too short.

I said, I don't

Give a damn!

Leave me and my name

Just like I am!

Furthermore, rub out

That MRS., too--

I'll have you know

I'm Madam to you!

Just a note -- Before 1880, the census was taken by US Marshals and their assistants, not enumerators.

The Puzzled Census Taker

by John Godfrey Saxe

" GOT any boys? " the Marshal said

— To a lady from over the Rhine;

And the lady shook her flaxen head,

— And civilly answered, " Nein! "

" Got any girls? " the Marshal said

— To the lady from over the Rhine;

And again the lady shook her head,

— And civilly answered, " Nein! "

" But some are dead? " the Marshal said

— To the lady from over the Rhine;

And again the lady shook her head,

— And civilly answered, " Nein! "

" Husband of course? " the Marshal said

— To the lady from over the Rhine;

And again she shook her flaxen head,

— And civilly answered, " Nein! "

" The devil you have! " the Marshal said

— To the lady from over the Rhine;

And again she shook her flaxen head,

— And civilly answered, " Nein! "

" Now what do you mean by shaking your head,

— And always answering " Nine"? "

" Ich kann nicht Englisch! " civilly said

— The lady from over the Rhine.