For Jane Byrne

At Jane Byrne’s funeral, the priest made a joke

That the newly named Jane Byrne circle interchange
Was surely on the pathway to heaven.

Everyone laughed and agreed.

I didn’t know much about her before today, but certainly

Jane Byrne helped make a path for us.

At 24, she was left a widow and a mother.

She had to learn to fight when Saks tried to take away her charge card.

Without a man, her daughter explained, Jane had no credit.

Jane persuaded them to let her keep it by showing

The title for her car. And that fight was just the start.

I saw a photo of Jane singing ‘Chicago’ in 1982,
Belting it out in Columbus Park.
Her daughter said today that she
Wasn’t a very good singer.
This makes me like her more.  

At the end, another mayor spoke, and the media filmed it.

Older people wore buttons:
Jane Byrne for Mayor. 

We forget so easily what feminism looks like.

It was a perfectly Chicago day. Icy wind lashing at us outside the church,
The police, the bagpipes.

I ducked into a cab, and when I got home, charged the ride to my own credit card.

We know we recently posted this, but it's one of our all-time Jane favorites: Jazz singer Joe Williams is accompanied on stage at Columbus Park on July 11, 1982, by Mayor Jane Byrne in a rendition of "Chicago." Williams' appearance was part of the Neighborhood Festival schedule featuring Big Band-era performers. Photo by Don Casper. #vintagechicago #janebyrne #sweethomechicago #joewilliams #mayorbyrne #chicagomayors #femalemayors

A photo posted by Vintage Tribune (@vintagetribune) on Nov 11, 2014 at 3:25pm PST

Thank you, Jane.

-KCM, Nov. 17, 2014