Cousins and Aunts

Painting and composing poetry by the age of 15, in 1927, my Aunt Wyonetta (Aunt Sis), now 95, presented this poem and artwork as a birthday gift to her sister (my Aunt Bertha) when she turned 19. Quite to my surprise, the original framed "Birthday Greetings" artwork and poetry was presented to me this afternoon along its journey back to its original author.

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This blog entry might more accurately be titled "Cousins and Aunts and Trailers and Friends" because there seems to have been a series of random coincidences leading up to my receipt of and ability to follow the return.

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You see, it just so happens that recently I learned that it was my friend Lee who bought my Aunt Sis's trailer. It also just so happens that my cousin, Dan, whom I have not seen in close to thirty years, stopped by our Aunt Sis's trailer only to discover that she no longer lived there. And it just so happens that my friend Lee, now residing in Aunt Sis's former trailer and realizing that I am the niece of the woman from whom he purchased that trailer, felt it okay to give Dan my phone number.

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Dan and I had lunch and, started on its journey from his grandmother's (my aunt Bertha's) estate, with him he carried the fragile "Birthday Greetings" poetry and artwork, passing it to me along its way back to Aunt Sis.

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Birthday Greetings

(written for Bertha Delpha Robertson)

May your thoughts send back a ray

Nineteen years ago to-day.

When lay in bed your father's wife,

When you, her daughter, came to life.

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When you lay there by her side,

She, in happiness, had sighed.

When she hugged you,

When she loved you,

When she called you her own,

Knew you was her very own.

But she knew, in time to come,

There would be another one

Who would hug you,

Who would love you,

Who would call you his, his own.

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May your thoughts send back a ray

Nineteen years ago to-day,

When lay in bed your father's wife,

When you, her daughter, came to life.

Wyonetta Iola Robertson, 1927

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Quite miraculously, I was able to get my hands on a telephone number for Aunt Sis. I telephoned my cousin, Ruth, with whom aunt Sis (Ruth's grandmother) now resides and we shall all get together very soon. My cousins, Dan and Ruth, and I, all so very happy to return the "Birthday Greetings" to its original author after all these years.

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Thanks Lee!

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As Aunt Sis held her poetry close upon my passing that frame back into her hands. It felt so good as we watched her sweet smiles from memories of those days when her older sister, Aunt Bertha, had married and moved back to Vancouver, B.C. and a series of paintings and poetry were fondly sent across the border to keep in touch.

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