Monday, October 15, 2012

Poems by my Grandmother

This post is my contribution to Bill West's Fourth Annual Great Genealogy Poetry Challenge

My grandmother, Bertha Louise (Roberts) Wilkinson (1897 - 1990), was a natural storyteller.  She had a wonderful Yorkshire accent (think of the servants in Downton Abbey) and was trained at age 12 to be a British Nanny.  Part of that training was a bit of story telling, but the rest of it was her natural ability to play act and recite poems and stories.  She dreamed of being a poet, and I have a folder full of poems she wrote.  I cherish these two poems she wrote about my sister and I when we were little girls in the early 1970s. (Grammy took a little bit of liberty in making the word Massachusetts rhyme with Mount Wachusett, and my eyes are green (not blue) but we forgive her!)

My sister and I, at about the age these poems were written


Holden

Holden, a town in Massachusetts,
Where one can see Mount Wassachusetts.
Woodland sections all around
Oak trees, acorns on the ground.

Maple, oak and the white birch
In them robins, blue birds perch.
Many winding country lanes
Colonial homes, tiny window panes.

Two little girls we love live there-
Laurie dark and Heather fair.
Both of them with eyes of blue
Mommy and Daddy love them, too.

Books and toys each day they spend
Sharing them with little friend.
Learning and growing strong and tall
Gram and Gramp send love to all.



Heather and Laurie 

Two little girls, ages seven and three.
Two little sisters, each as busy as a bee.
Heather goes to school each day.
Laurie stays at home to play.

Happy little children, having lots of fun
From early in the morning until the day is done.
May Heavenly Father bless them-
Make them healthy and strong.
Mom and Dad teaching them the right from the wrong.

God Bless our little grand daughters,
Their Mom and Daddy, too.
So now from California
We send our love to you.

-------------------
Copyright 2012, Heather Wilkinson Rojo

4 comments:

  1. Aw, these poems are so sweet!

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  2. What sweet poems, Heather! Clearly written straight from your grandmother's heart. I'm sure you'll treasure them always.

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  3. These are wonderful, Heather. Your grandmother was a talented woman!

    Thanks cousin, for sharing them on the Challenge!

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