Evelyn May Berrisford

Burnham On Sea, Somerset, UK

I am an elderly widow with two lovely children, Linda and Andrew, and five grandchildren, Helen, Alison, Amy, Nicholas and Andrew. I was born in London and after spells in Cork in Eire, Cheshire, Scotland and Athens we retired in Somerset where I have remained with two little dogs for company since my husband died. A strong sense of humour runs through my family and this sustains us in times of trouble or sadness. I enjoy music, dancing, theatre, ballet, travel, pottering in my garden and watching the progress of achievements of my children and grandchildren.

Enquiry

"Grandma, why do you write poetry?"
What answer can I give to one so young?
The understanding seemed a mystery,
As strange as light of moon, or warmth of sun,
When I was only ten short years and one.

But answer him I must, this is the rule
To satisfy the young enquiring mind,
And feel someway I may be passing on
The wondrous feel in childhood that I find
Of nature, that with passing years has gone.

Suddenly I start remembering
The joy, the thrill of stories told in rhyme,
The magic music of the words by Browning
And my childhood love affair with Tennyson.
Eternal bards I'll read you one more time.

I try to tell my Grandson how I felt
At his age, how the love for poetry grows,
One looks at trees, at flowers, watch snow melt
Why we write our thoughts down no one knows,
A deep compulsion gently drives us on.

And so I read my favourites to this boy,
He is too young to really understand
We feel too much of life - of sorrow, joy,
Of beauty, goodness, ugliness and pain-
We write it out the spirit to renew
Then inspiration drives us once again.

The Mistress

I lie upon her bed and lick her face
Her arms, her hands and nibble at her ears,
why does she stop me when I love her so?
My body is alive with loving, all my years
Are filled with purpose just to let her know
She is my life.

She loves me too because she talks to me
Of growing old together, then she strokes my thighs
Her sweet devotion brings me ecstasy
And I follow her around with liquid eyes
Then I bubble back to life because I know
I am her life.

We do not romp upon the floor these days,
She is an older woman and I guess
Her energies are limited - less gay,
But I can still amuse her when she's low
And bring a happy smile back - then I know
She is my life.

I was selected cause I was so small,
She was alone and I was lonely too,
And the time I lived with her has been sublime.
I am a little dog with one big heart,
Which swells with love for her because she knew
This was our life.