Our daughter Martha came home this weekend with her 7 week old, June Margaret “Junebug”. We were talking about names and the fact that Margaret is a family name on both sides. My grandmother and my husband’s grandmother were both named Margaret. Apparently Martha didn’t know about Mate’s name, Jeff’s grandmother, because she only knew her as “Mate” and Betsy Ross.
Jeff’s grandmother grew up in Canada. His grandparents’ love story starts with a bad fish. Cecil Lennan was in the hospital in Toronto, Canada and opened his eyes to the love of his life, Margaret Ross. They married in New York City, and Cecil “Pate” nicknamed her Betsy. “Since you are an American now, you should be Betsy Ross.” She was never again called Margaret. New life. New country. New name.
Shortly after their marriage, “Betsy” Ross Lennan traveled back home to her family in Canada. While she was gone, Cecil wrote her letters. This was 1925. We still have three of them. In 2018, I was writing in a workshop and used one of these letters to write a found poem. I blogged about it here.
Since today is Valentine’s Day, I am reposting this love poem.
Come Back, my Love
(after Cecil Lennan, 1925.)
If you come in on the 7:47, bring the bathing suit with you.
And bring back yourself even if you forget all of the above.Bring back that dark brown hair I love,
the big wavy curl that hangs
continuously over your left eye.Bring back the eyes looking into mine
telling me you are mine.
Bring back the nose,
your quivering lips–silent.Bring back the arms that have hugged me
so tightly–a little tighter still, because–
because they wanted to.Bring back your heart, that electric spark
thrilling my toes, my body to my head
and down again–and again.Bring back the mystery, the wonder,
Margaret Simon, found poem (c) 2018
the sweetness that is yours.
I will take it all, put my arms around it
all, and hug, and kiss, and love it
for ages and ages.
Will you?
Reflections on the Teche 