AUSTRALIA ~ The Antipodes

AUSTRALIA ~ The Antipodes
I love a sunburnt country / A land of sweeping plains / Of ragged mountain ranges / Of droughts and flooding rains / I love her far horizons / I love her jewel-sea / Her beauty and her terror / The wide brown land for me / ~ Dorothea Mackellar (1885-1968)

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Thursday, July 1, 2010

Paper Tales


Magpie Tales ~ Mag 21
~

Fading pink paper
Fading reason for being
Fading memories

I found so many rolls of limp wrapping paper, gathered together in the dark corners of the barn.


An old house on a few wild acres, tucked down a forgotten lane, had awoken the dreamer in me!
So I bought it - just a week ago!

So far, all I had really explored was the house with its creaky porch, its peeling woods in every room and its cobwebbed ceilings!
(I had also noted that windows needed a good clean if I was to enjoy any views of my garden to be.
The old barn was rather far down my curiosity list.)

But today it was raining.
Nothing much could be done.
So the shelter of the barn was a good option.

Pale floral patterns
One odd renegade green roll
Three odd rough bindings


The agent told me that the house had been owned by one lady - who lived alone here!
The house was about one hundred years old.
(It had been empty for five years, until I moved in.)

There had been some rumour in the village that when she taught a few children in the village hall, she became friendly with one of the fathers.
He had a boy and a girl and cared for them alone in some small room he rented in the village.
The boy, (about 17), moved out and said he would finish his schooling in London.

Nothing was heard for awhile.
The father became withdrawn, speaking to no one.
Finally, the father said he was taking his daughter with him to London to search for his son.

Somehow news filtered back to the village...

The father would never return to the village.
The daughter was lost to the lights of night life.
The son would never return from the war.

More than just paper
Stray thoughts of Miss Havisham
Gifts never given
~

Hosted by Willow

18 comments:

Anonymous said...

This is such a sad tale. I've often wondered what secrets old houses kept buried inside their walls. But honestly, I am glad walls don't talk.

I find your blog interesting. Good work. I'll be back.

Rinkly Rimes said...

The illustration certainly had an air of melancholy about it and you capture it perfectly.

rel said...

Gemma,
Old paper, old houses, and old barns; 100 years of memories to conjur. Nicely poemed.
rel

EG CameraGirl said...

Sounds like you have an adventure and some challenges ahead!

I live in an old farmhouse about 120 years old...but the village has expanded to include it. Until a few months ago, it was on the edge of town, but a new subdivision across the street is the new edge of the village.

Congratulations!

Helen said...

I so enjoyed your Magpie Tale ... it's intriguing to see where this photo prompt took Willow's fans. My first thought was old wrapping paper too ...

CHummelKornell said...

What a wonderful approach to this photo. Sad, but involving. I very much enjoyed it.

Robert Lloyd said...

You weave a wonderful but sad tale with this magpie. I loved the imagery and could almost feel as if I was in the barn. Maybe the daughter will return one day from the nightlife to visit... great work. Thank you for sharing.

brenda w said...

An interesting, sad Magpie Tale. Well told. I love old houses, love love love them. Such treasures.

Stafford Ray said...

Hate it when people clean out and dump their old stuff when they move!
Creative take on the picture. It's a wrap!

Tess Kincaid said...

Ah, Miss Havisham! I sometimes refer to myself as her. Love your papery take on the prompt.

Stan Ski said...

I was expecting something much shorter, but that photo really brought it out of you - Perhaps photo's do that for photographers.
And I like the Miss Havisham reference - my favourite Dickens book.

Anonymous said...

what a story! Nicely done Magpie!

ninotaziz said...

I am sure a lifetime of stories, memories, impromptu thoughts combine and work hard to make this magpie the engaging story it is.

Thank you Gemma for a nicely wrapped up gift of storytelling!

Kathe W. said...

wow-nice Magpie

Brian Miller said...

a stirring tale...and wonderful story telling...love how you broke it up with the verse...nice magpie

JeffScape said...

Hmm... lots of stories packed into this one. Will we see any expanded upon?

Tumblewords: said...

Amazing stories could be told by old houses. I'm always saddened by finding personal photo albums with hand written letters being sold in a second hand store - Wonderful tale by poem!

PattiKen said...

Such a sad story! here's hoping the house sees happier days.

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