I’m so very fortunate that I not only have cousins – and second cousins, but they are lovely cousins! For geographical reason I have seen some of them more frequently than others, but whenever I meet even the more far-flung, we always are delighted to be together and enjoy each other’s company. Growing up I was very close to my mum’s sister’s children, especially the eldest who was a similar age to me. We saw each other quite frequently – as our mums liked to be together too, and our dads who were brothers-in-law/beer brothers! Mum’s brother’s lived in Hereford, and Dad’s brother in Sheffield, so visits to his family were rare, but Dad’s sister cousins we saw regularly.
I was also very fortunate that I had a couple of more distant cousins who I was very close to – and when their family moved aboard, my cousin Gill and I became pen-friends. We wrote to each other weekly and caught up in person when she came home. As well as writing letters, we wrote a book together – taking it in turns to write a chapter in an exercise book. We posted it to the other to continue the next chapter and sent it back – I wonder what happened to it? I went to stay with her in Europe one summer and went on a camping holiday to Scandinavia with her and her parents. When we were both grew up and she got married, I was delighted to be her bridesmaid – what a very happy occasion that was!
We continued to keep in touch and see each other as often as possible, writing long letters, and phoning, having ridiculous and funny conversations. She was a very funny person with a wacky sense of humour – inspired by the Goons and other similar comedians. Then one day, I had a very sad and upsetting phone call from her. You can guess the tenor of what she told me. Several months later I had the worst news about her. I don’t really like the word “lost” for when a person dies, but I did feel her loss grievously. This was some time ago now, but I often think of her and think of our funny times together and us laughing and laughing.
I had forgotten she published a small book of poetry, just for her own pleasure, and I came across it yesterday. It was written while she was living away from her family at college, and it was a lonely time for her which is reflected in some of her verse. This apparently simple poem contains several layers of meaning and feeling – the punctuation is hers as she intended it to be.
Break
Over the sky the clouds are racing
Past the buildings and the fields
Birds fight for safety
Among the trees of the heath
The smoke mellows in among the clouds
Hiding all sky from view
Towers standing out against the black
Rain draws near, brought by
The howling wind
Inside everybody preoccupied
Test all in their thoughts
Except for a few, window gazing
Crash!
Reflections broken
Sun reappears and clouds disperse
Lois Elsden 