Ruth Harrigan is the author of two free verse works for young adults: Waking Up Dazed and The Carnival Barker; four books of poetry: That Woman in the Wheelchair, Saint Crow, Inexplicable Mortality and Beware Old Lovers; a collection of short stories about homelessness entitled On the Boardwalk and a volume of short stories entitled Sticks, Stones and Names. She has also written a Reading Material Series for children and young adults of short stories with disability themes: The Power Chair Pole Vaulter of Paluga County (Vol 1) , Grandpa’s Tree (Vol 2), and The Odd Gift (Vol 3). Her short fiction and poems have also appeared in publications in Australia, Canada and India. She lives in Princeton, New Jersey.
You can find her books on Amazon.
Her author site is at this link.
Please feel free to browse her online works and leave a message. Thanks for visiting!
A DIFFERENT LIGHT: Short stories and poetry by Ruth Harrigan 
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Hi Ruth, you wrote a poem years ago about being alone all day, listening to the workers hammering near your home. I saved it and now I can’t find it anywhere. Could you tell me which book it’s in, or reprint it here? Thank you so much.
Melanie
Hi Melanie,
I looked through my poems but didn’t find one that matched your description. Any more details that you can recall? In the meantime I’ll take another look. Thanks!
Ruth
Hi Ruth,
The person who was scheduled to assist you out did not arrive that day, and you mentioned not being able to get a sandwich (I think it was) or anything to eat, as an example of how frustrating it was.
Hi Melanie! I didn’t find any poems with hammering in them but I did find sandwich LOL Could it be the Dance of the Sorry Aide who kept sweeping as I asked for a sandwich?
Thanks,
Ruth
Ruth! I found it!!! I had printed it out and slipped it in a journal. You wrote it in 2011. It’s incredible:
It is true what they say
There is work no one wants to do
That is why no one showed up
To feed you all day
The builders are out back
Their noise the only sound of life
Til they leave at dusk
By 5am there still is no food no rest
Just echoes of hammers on nails
Chain saws buzzing
Floor planks dropping in place
Good work done proudly
By 8am the hammers are flying
The crew back on the job
They can build a room in weeks
But no one an show up to make you a sandwich
Or put you in bed
Don’t be that way they say
Let the hammering drown out the rumble of your stomach
As you roll toward the window
Waiting for help that never comes
Thank you Melanie! I remember this poem now 🙂 Amazing that you kept it all this time.