The 8th Annual Great Genealogy Poetry Challenge

The house where I grew up in Holden, Massachusetts 

Today is National Poetry Day in the United Kingdom.  I couldn't find a similar Poetry Day for the United States, so I'm going with October 6th for this blog post.  It's especially fitting because the poem I'm posting is from my grandmother, Bertha (Roberts) Wilkinson, who was born on 30 September 1897 in Leeds, Yorkshire, England.  I've featured many of her poems for Bill West's Great Genealogy Poetry Challenges in previous years, and here is another one.

Bertha loved to write poems about New England, nature and especially the seasons.  I've posted one about springtime, and one about the bicentennial, and here is one about winter.  It's a little early to be thinking about winter, but apparently Bertha liked winter in New England.  I'm sure that winters in her adopted city of Beverly, Massachusetts were colder and snowier than in Leeds, but she seemed to find all that fun!


Winter in New England

Winter's here, no doubt about it.
     Glad that all our storm boots fit.
Get out the woolen scarf and hat,
     Glove and mittens - stuff like that.

Now the house with good roof on it,
     Fitting snugly, like a bonnet,
Storm doors, windows fitting tight,
     Chimney cleaned and fireplace bright.

Soon the falling snow we'll see
    On the roof, the lawn, the tree
As though touched by magic wand
     Turning all to fairy land.

Snow has fallen through the night.
    Children wake up with delight.
Edged with ermine, fence and gate,
    Bird bath filled up like a plate.

Dressed warmly with a shout.
    Let us get the shovel out!
Make a path from door to street.
    Now the neighbor's children greet.

Making snowballs, having fun.
     Then the lessons- school is done.
Hurry home as fast as can,
     Make a snow fort or big snow man.

Supper time and night is here.
     Fire is burning, making cheer.
At the fireplace with the most
    of the marshmallows we'll toast.

Now the children's prayers are said.
    They will jump into their bed
Thinking of the lovely way
     They have spent a winter's day.



An announcement for participation in the 8th Great Genealogy Challenge, by Bill West.  The deadline is November 17th:
http://westinnewengland.blogspot.com/2016/09/he-seventh-annual-great-genealogy.html

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Heather Wilkinson Rojo, "The 8th Annual Great Genealogy Poetry Challenge", Nutfield Genealogy, posted October 8, 2016,  (http://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2016/10/the-8th-annual-great-genealogy-poetry.html: accessed [access date]).