I went down the basement in her house while I was there yesterday, looking for a small book of poetry. I didn't know if I would recognize it if I saw it. I just knew that she and I would read it when I was a little girl. She would encourage me to sing the poems. Being very shy and insecure, sometimes I would work up the courage to sing them. I can still hear her laughter and encouragement.
The book is called "Child's Garden of Verses" by Robert Louis Stevenson. It was published by Greystone Press/Castle Books in 1951.
When I found it, I wept.
In celebration of Gramma's life - our favorite poem:
FAREWELL TO THE FARM
The coach is at the door at last;
The eager children mounting fast
And kissing hands, in chorus sing:
Good-bye, good-bye to everything!
To house and garden, field and lawn,
The meadow-gates we swang upon,
To pump and stable, tree and swing,
Good-bye, good-bye to everything!
And fare you well for evermore,
O ladder at the hayloft door,
O hayloft where the cobwebs cling,
Good-bye, good-bye to everything!
Crack goes the whip and off we go;
The trees and houses smaller grow;
Last, round the woody turn we swing;
Good-bye, good-bye to everything!
Good-bye Gram! You gave me more than love - you taught me life.
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