Maria Beasley, a name concealed,

Yet her impact was revealed.

Fifteen inventions, her mind conceived,

Fifteen inventions, She achieved.

A foot warmer’s comfort, a train’s safe ride,

Barrel-making machines, fortunes to provide.

With triumphs, she soared, her fortune amassed,

A beacon of success, her legacy cast.

Twenty thousand dollars, a yearly tide,

A stark contrast to others, who struggled beside.

In an era when women’s dreams were scarce,

Maria’s vision dared the glass ceiling to pierce.

Amidst her ventures, one creation stands,

A life-saving raft, crafted by her hands.

Emergency planks, a perilous scheme,

She envisioned a safer mariner dream.

Fire-proof and compact, yet safe to embark,

Unfolded with haste, to quell oceans dark,

With floats redesigned, her genius clear,

Storage made simple, her burned to bear.

Guard rails emerged, to hold on tight,

A life raft that saved, in the perilous night.

Yet history’s eyes, a disheartening crew,

In the Census of ’80, a title untrue.

“Unemployed housewife,” they dared declare,

A label too narrow, her brilliance to bear.

Despite her feats, her worth is profound,

yet society’s praise could not be found.

Labeled “unemployed” in her mind confined,

Her brilliance diminished, undermined.

Yet, through the pages of time’s embrace,

Maria’s spirit finds its place.

Her inventions thrive, her legacy alive,

In every life raft, her courage survives.