Friday 30 September 2011

Late September

A song for my Granny, who passed away in 1993 at the age of 99. She lived quite near to my parents and one of us would visit her for an hour or so each evening.




When I'm feeling down
 and my head is full of worry
People that I'd like to talk to
 seem in too much hurry
When the dark clouds hide the sun
 and threaten to bring rain
I always know where I can go
 to make it shine again
And she...
Takes me back down leafy ways
Across the fields to distant days
And secret places she alone remembers
Things the world has left behind
Are painted clearly on her mind
In golden-yellow shades of late September

She talks about the war,
 times of grief and trouble
Times it seemed that life was simply
 years of endless struggle
Then she talks of better days
 that made it all worthwhile
Simple things remembered then
 come shining through her smile
And she...
Takes me back down leafy ways
Across the fields to distant days
And secret places she alone remembers
Things the world has left behind
Are painted clearly on her mind
In golden-yellow shades of late September

Then it's time for me to go
I'm working in the morning
I get up to say goodnight
I think she saw me yawning
"You must think I'm crazy", she says,
"Going on this way"
But it's the nearest thing to sanity
that I have heard all day,
When she...
 Takes me back down leafy ways
Across the fields to distant days
And secret places she alone remembers
Things the world has left behind
Are painted clearly on her mind
In golden-yellow shades of late September

One evening I was having a moan about someone that I considered stupid. Granny said, "When God was dishing out the brains He wasn't very even-handed, was He; we should just be thankful that we got our share."

Take care.

18 comments:

  1. What an achievement 99 years - a very special person and irreplaceable in this world.
    The beautiful words made me smile!

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  2. An excellent poem and yes, 99 years, what an achievement.

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  3. Lovely tribute to your granny and fitting end to a waning September.

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  4. John, she has a mischievous smile. I like that. Your poem is terrific.

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  5. Thanks so much for a lift and a change of perspective - I needed that today.

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  6. Wise words from your Gran John. Love the rose too.

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  7. What a lovely tribute to your gran.
    I bet she would have appreciated it.

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  8. A lovely post and it's nice that she was around for so long... I only have one of my grandparents left and they didn't get near 99!

    Oh, thanks for you comment yesterday (feel much better today) - I've worked at the school for 10 years so I figure I am half way to immunity, hehe!

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  9. Your granny was very wise! Lovely lyrics!

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  10. Lovely memories you have of a special lady and your words are touching John!

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  11. Hello John,
    Granny was a special lady to us as well. I have to admit some jealousy when it strikes home how very much I wish we had the time together that the cousins in England were blessed with. My memories are from when I was a child and one short visit right before she passed away. Thanks for passing on her wisdom and comment. Granny was a special person. Love, Cousin Theresa

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  12. What a lovely lady your grandmother looks. You were so lucky to have her around for so long, by the time I was 12 I'd lost all four of my grandparents. Your song is a wonderful tribute to her:)

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  13. As others have said, a lovely tribute. There is something special about Grans. As a soon-to-be gran, I can only hope to be remembered so positively.

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  14. I never got the chance to meet Granny, John; but the stories of her from my mom tell how special she was to everyone! I loved the wisdom of her words and the beautiful lyrics you write! Thanks for posting this! Love you, cousin!

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  15. A special lady indeed. You were all too polite to mention the irony in the lyric: the first verse bemoans the fact that everyone's in too much hurry but in the end it's me that has to hurry off! That was usually the case - Granny was ingenious at finding reasons why you had to stay a little longer!

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  16. This is a wonderful, wonderful tribute to her. I was very moved by it.

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  17. A wise woman! Love what she said about brains.

    And this made me cheer:

    "You must think I'm crazy", she says,
    "Going on this way"
    But it's the nearest thing to sanity
    that I have heard all day,

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  18. Hi John, I just found this tribute to Granny. It's beautiful. She was a special lady. Cousin Judy

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