I recently acquired a book of poems by a favorite poet of mine, Alan
Seeger (1888-1916) who is also the uncle of folk singer Pete Seeger.
While browsing through the book, I discovered a poem which referenced
an organ grinder:

  An organ-grinder's melancholy tune
  In rainy streets, or from an attic sill
   (From "The Need to Love")

These two lines made me curious.  Was the tune melancholy or the
organ-grinder himself?  Is he melancholy because it is raining?  Did
organ-grinders actually play from attics rather than the streets?

These lines are fascinating because Seeger lived at a time when it
was more common to see organ grinders on the street.  Born in New York,
he also lived in Mexico and in Paris, France.  What experiences with
organ-grinders did he encounter that prompted him to write these lines?

Joyce Brite
Player Piano and Mechanical Music Exchange
http://www.mmdigest.com/Exchange/