Thursday, February 18, 2010

White Coral Bells





A summer afternoon very long ago, on an old woolen camp blanket spread in the pine shade, I reached a hand out and dug my fingers comfortably in the moss and listened as Grandma Eva sang to us in her smiley creaky voice for oh the hundredth time, but we never tired of it,

white coral bells
upon a slender stalk
lilies of the valley
deck my garden walk
o how I wish
that I could hear them ring
that will only happen
when the fairies sing...


we three exist there faintly still, world without end, on the old woolen camp blanket, under the pines, in the circle of song






read along or join in at Theme Thursday (where you can read more about how bloggers are ringing their bells in honor of Barry)

28 comments:

Barlinnie said...

It's silken memories like this one that keep the eloquent images of those long since gone, alive.

Anonymous said...

Wonderful memories, Leah...and beautiful illo to go along with it...BIG HUGS!!

savannah said...

what a lovely image, sugar! xooxoo

Alan Burnett said...

You have done this so well. The whole piece as a wonderful harmony.

Hugh McMillan said...

I never tired of the story my mother told of walking as a wee girl neasr Salen in Mull and meeting a fairy.

Brian Miller said...

a beautiful little scene you have prepared for us today leah. i can feel the warm smiles of the circle.

nick said...

Both my grannies were lovely, but they never read me poems, let alone such a beautiful one. Belated black marks for the two of them.

Pat said...

I love the picture - it would go nicely with my sweet pea fairy.
Muget de bois is very big in France - I can't remember why - and I have a plant in the garden our French son gave us.

Mrsupole said...

Great memories with your Grandma are something that can never be taken away from you. I like the song.

I hope that someday my grandkids remember the good times that they spent with me. I would never sing for them, except when they were babies, because they would probably run away now that they are older. I am so tone deaf. But I do have them sit with me and read my poems and stories I write on my website. It is funny because the two teenage boys seem to like them the most. I truly am just thankful that they are even willing to spend this time with me.

I love my grandkids.

God bless.

Mrsupole said...

PS....Yippee!!! Thanks for putting me back, that is so sweet of you to do that.

tony said...

The Circle Is UnBroken.

Tess Kincaid said...

We sang this very song in grade school. I haven't thought of it in ages. Thanks for the fond trip down memory lane, Leah!

Betsy Brock said...

Very nice! I have a few of these that pop up in my garden every spring..they smell heavenly!

Princess said...

Dear Leah,
You never fail to evoke memories of my own childhood and more recent times
My Nanna grew lilly of the valley in her garden and the memory of that inspired me to grow some in my own garden.

The fairy panel is so familiar to me as recently I have been sewing Tote Bags using these fairy Flower Scenes and embossing and quilting the panels onto the bags, I have sold Quite a few and have Orders for a lot more so your post has reminded me to get cracking and finish some more off in time to meet the orders.
Thank you so much.

Karen ^..^ said...

Beautiful. I've always loved Lily of the Valley, it's my birthday flower.

Very sweet post, poignant, and always beautifully written. Thanks for the beautiful image today.

Hunter said...

I really enjoyed this one, Leah. I could almost hear that 'smiley creaky voice' singing.

The Mistress said...

Show us your tote bags, Princess!

Kat Mortensen said...

I just love how you ended this in perpetuity. Beautiful.

Kat

JeffScape said...

Aw... this makes me want to give shoulder massages.

Seriously.

That stated, nobody better ask for one!

Baino said...

I remember the old camp blankets. They always had that 'camp stores' smell. Lovely little ditty, I've never heard it before and my Grandma was a firm fairy freak. She had fairies at the bottom of her garden living somewhere among the brussels sprouts.

Ronda Laveen said...

Yes, I can still see you "on the old woolen camp blanket, under the pines, in the circle of song."

Lovely.

Everyday Goddess said...

So beautiful!

e said...

As you have sometimes said to me:

Beautiful!

Unknown said...

Loved your post!

Madame DeFarge said...

Lovely moment of memory. Takes me back to being with my Gran, much loved and sadly missed.

mapstew said...

Nothing as nice as a Nana singing to her grandkids! Wonderful Leah. :¬)

xxx

lettuce said...

so lovely leah

I'd not heard this rhyme before
its perfect for the flower fairy

I have some falling-apart childhood flower fairy books, I;ve always so loved them

JGH said...

I used to sing that little song to my daughter when she was in the womb. Then when she was outside, I'd sing it to her and watch what she did. She always got really still and quiet when i sang it. I wonder if she remembered it? If it was the first song she ever heard?