The Prostitutes Convention (Incomplete) Poem by Bonnie Elizabeth Parker

BONNIE'S OWN POEM

01:
You have heard of big ''conventions''
And there's some you can't forget
But get this straight, there's none so great
As when the ''prostitutes'' met

02:
To a ''joint'' on ''Harwood St'' last year
They came from far and near
From ''behind the barns'' in ''stolen cars''
The damn ''broads'' gathered here

03:
Three hundred came from North Dallas
Some came from Akard Street
Of all the ''Parades of Fashion''
Not a ''Paris'' shop could compete

04:
From the ''Ivy Hotel'' came ''Billie''
And ''Bess the Katyclid''
With ''maniac Mag'' from the ''Elm St drag''
Came the ''San Jacinto Kid''

05:
''Bashful Bill'' and ''Hain-lip Lil''
Blew in with ''Hell Fine Jack''
''Wanda Jane'' from the ''Pearl St Gang''
''Estelle'' from the ''Live Oak Track''

06:
I saw some ''hides'' I'd never met
A ''frail'' called ''West End Rose''
With ''Pearl and Pauline'' from the ''Josephine''
Came a gal dubbed ''Mopin Mose''

07:
''Big Imogene'' dressed like a ''queen''
Made friends with ''Baby Red''
While ''North Side Nell'' ''lit up'' like hell
Drank ''jack'' with ''East Side Ed''

08:
While ''Lonesome Lou'' and ''Subway Sue''
Along with ''Mamphid Min''
And ''Martha Lin''
''Shook up'' some damn good ''gin''

09:
''Hop Head Het'' spilled out a song
Composed by Kathelene
While......
..... missing stanzas.....

END

Historical Note:

This poem is based on Bonnie's immediate neighborhood around her home on Olive Street, in the city center of Dallas Texas in a time period of late 1927 to mid 1929, during which time Bonnie lived there. The street names mentioned in this poem are all actual street names and are the ''backstreets'' of 'Theatre Row'. Bonnie describes the colorful nature and personalities of the prostitutes in this area and admires how well dressed they are.

This poem was written by Bonnie as the second of ten poems into her First National Bank Of Burkburnett Texas bank book during her stay in the Kaufman County Jail in April May and June 1932. The full poem is contained in this bank book and hopefully sometime in the future it will be made available.

This poem shows that Bonnie was acquainted with the camaraderie of the street girl life. This street girl life in her neighborhood was Bonnie's first introduction to ''life's other side''.