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 Post subject: Miss Wise
PostPosted: Fri Jan 27, 2017 10:15 pm 
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Joined: Tue Jan 04, 2005 6:46 pm
Posts: 2065
Location: Masterton New Zealand
When my dad was stationed at the Reserve Fleet in Harwich, I was a weekly boarder at Colchester Boys High School where we had various evening activities after 'prep'. Our headmaster was H.D.Wells, a nephew, I believe of H.G.Wells, who encouraged us to play chess, write poetry and play 'Newfooty' ( a table game).
During one of the weekends dad played cricket for the Reserve Fleet against Severals (the psychiatric unit) some of the players were inmates and some were staff. My mother and I went along to watch. We were sitting on a bench when dad went out to bat and he had given his wristwatch to mum to look after. After a few minutes a very well spoken man came to mum and said "I saw your husband gave you his watch. Could you tell me the time please? " Mum duly told him the time. He thanked her most graciously and walked behind the bench, returning to the front saying "I saw your husband gave you his watch. Could you tell me the time,please?". This happened 4 or 5 times and a staff member quietly led him away. I watched this and other strange interactions such as I had never seen before and was filled with not only wonder but respect for those less fortunate than me.
This is one of my mother's efforts afterwards.

“Herbily berbilly” says Miss Wise,
And throws her apron over her head.
Miss Wise dances all the day,
She does not have to earn her bread.
She plucks a flower from a bush
To tuck it in her ginger hair,
Skewers a petal with a pin,
Knowing she is young and fair.
Shoes thrown off
The grass is sweet
Shorn and cool
To the curled, blanched feet.
“Come” they say, “It starts to rain
Miss Wise, put them on again”
She holds blue beads to her chicken throat,
Makes fast a lace trimmed silken glove.
Towards the gate she goes to meet
Her everlasting living love.
“Come back , Miss Wise, it’s time for tea”
They do not argue, firmly take her hand,
“There’s lardy cake and currant buns to eat,
And on the radio a dancing band.”
Oh! Herbily berbilly”, says Miss Wise
And throws her apron over her head.
Miss Wise dances all the day,
She does not have to earn her bread.

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 Post subject: Re: Miss Wise
PostPosted: Fri Jan 27, 2017 10:38 pm 
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Joined: Fri Jul 30, 2010 12:49 am
Posts: 2930
Your mother was an elegant poet Michael. Your twigs are bent in similar fashion. Thank you for sharing these...very much.


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 Post subject: Re: Miss Wise
PostPosted: Sat Jan 28, 2017 12:55 am 
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Joined: Fri Jan 18, 2008 11:56 pm
Posts: 6015
Location: Solihull, UK
I agree with Linnyx. :D

I believe we all know, or have known, someone “Herbily berbilly” and still loved them for who they were. <3

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Blessed are the crack'd - for it is they who will let in the light.


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 Post subject: Re: Miss Wise
PostPosted: Sat Jan 28, 2017 2:53 am 
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Location: Masterton New Zealand
There is a sad local story here in Waipukurau. Emily, the lady in this photo, is about 97 years old. She was married in her late teens to a railway engine driver who joined the army at the start of WW2. He was killed in Italy. She had a job in town, but came to the station where she sits now, every day. When she retired she continued to wait almost every day. She never married again. There is now a coffee shop at the end of the railway building and they always have a chair for her and often give her a cup of tea. Apart from saying 'thank you' she rarely speaks - just gazes into the distance waiting for her lover. It makes me a bit weepy just to type this.
Image

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 Post subject: Re: Miss Wise
PostPosted: Sat Jan 28, 2017 11:11 am 
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Joined: Fri Jan 18, 2008 11:56 pm
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Location: Solihull, UK
:(

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 Post subject: Re: Miss Wise
PostPosted: Sat Jan 28, 2017 2:03 pm 
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Joined: Thu Jan 02, 2003 6:40 am
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I wonder what kind of job Emily was able to hold down.

When I was a kid on a family road trip, my dad drove us through the grounds of a hospital for the criminally insane. Whether the grounds bordered the road, or my oddball dad detoured there, I don't remember, but I recall some strange-looking fellows sitting on benches. They must have presented no danger at that stage. The institution was in Penetanguishene, a name that could give Waipukurau a run for its money.


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 Post subject: Re: Miss Wise
PostPosted: Sat Jan 28, 2017 5:02 pm 
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Joined: Fri Jul 30, 2010 12:49 am
Posts: 2930
Bless her heart. And bless your kind heart that weeps for the sufferings of others, and that kind town who does not judge her mourning. All those cups of tea! I wish the present tense of the world would all be given a cup of tea. Your writings Michael, are those very cups of tea. Continue writing...at the very least, they will become attributions to folkloric epics (where most truths have been hidden, i.e. the saga of Gilgamesh) and at the very best, will touch people's hearts-melting them. That's the climate change we need now in the macroclimate of humanity,

I love all of the "stories" written here.


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 Post subject: Re: Miss Wise
PostPosted: Sat Jan 28, 2017 8:39 pm 
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Location: Masterton New Zealand
Torre wrote:
I wonder what kind of job Emily was able to hold down.


I don't know Torre. It's been 30 years plus since she got on a pension.

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