FIFTY-SEVEN YEARS TODAY!
Like the poem of one year earlier “Recollections of a Grandma”, this was written by John and Ellen Birch’s son,
Ernest A Birch, “in the words of” Ellen herself, and with her language and sentiments.
Rica, Ellen’s granddaughter, lived with them following the tragic death of her father.
Tired of my John, dear Rica?
Tired of my husband, my mate?
Tied to him all these years. Dear?
Well, 'tis a happy fate.
Fifty-seven years together,
Seems a long time, you say;
Well, dear, I've never regretted
The day of my wedding day.
Fifty-seven years seems long, dear,
To you who are young, no doubt.
You think that fifty-seven innings
Should pretty near be played out.
Some are bowled out quite early,
Or stumped when play's but begun;
We have both kept our wickets
From dawn till setting sun.
And now when old Time bowls swiftly,
We bat away with a will;
John always was good at cricket,
And our stumps are standing still.
No! Not tired of each other,
Our love seems new begun;
For the longer we live together,
The more we seem as one.
You think life seems so long, dear?
Well, yours has but begun;
Your seventeen happy summers
Are only "Chapter One."
Though p'rhaps it's Chapter Two, dear,
Or Chapter Three may be;
I can't think quite so clearly
Now I am eighty-three.
Eighty-seven you say, John?
Don't give my age away,
For though I may not look it,
I feel quite young today.
Yes, Chapter One with you, dear,
But there are pages to turn
That are full of deeper matters
Than sweet seventeen can learn.
First, there's the baby chapter
With bibs and tucks and frills,
And heaps of admiration
And sometimes baby "ills."
Then chapter two is girlhood
Time for commencing school;
Time when the good wise Mother
Trains girls - themselves to rule.
Then comes the great third chapter
(Greatest perhaps of all);
Girl grown a stately maiden
Gentle and sweet and tall.
Now is the time of study,
Now the life's plans are made;
One chooses a profession,
Others prefer a trade.
Now there are big expenses,
Tutors, and special fees;
Sometimes to help their children
Folks live on bread and cheese.
What of the other chapters?
Well, leave them till they come;
Best to turn over life's pages
Just slowly, one by one.
The past is out of reach, dear,
The future is not ours;
We have to use the present
And catch its golden hours.
Yes, life is all before you,
I said, 'tis but begun;
But mine, and your dear Grandpa's
Well, p'rhaps it's nearly done.
Eighty-three years seems long, dear,
I'm nearly eight-seven;
Ah! Long before that age, most
Good people go to Heaven.
But I am running on, dear;
What did I start to say?
I know - I spoke of Grandpa
And of our wedding day.
Fifty-seven years ago, dear,
Through snow we took our way;
Pledged our troth at the altar
Fifty-seven years today.
You asked if I was tired
Of having my John so long;
Nay! When I think of him, dear,
My heart is full of song.
My heart o'erflows with gladness
My lips sing songs of praise
And gratefully to Heaven I
My "Ebenezer" raise.
I sit down by our fireside
And gaze in his dear face.
And looking rests my eyes, dear.
It's like a "Means of Grace."
For we have one another,
I've John and he has me
Not only for life's journey
But for Eternity.
For death that frights so many
Is but the darksome way
That leads to Life Beyond, dear.
Leads to Eternal Day.
I may for forward first, dear.
Into the great Unseen,
But I know my love will follow,
It won't seem long between.
Heaven isn't far away, dear.
Death's but the draped swing door
That separates our home here
From the Home that's on before.
If I pass first through the door,
I guess I'll watch and wait.
For Heaven would p'rhaps be lonely
Without one's own true mate.
I'll watch for John at the portal.
As John would watch for me,
And when we meet, well, after
We'll never separated be.
Do I speak much of Heaven?
I've Heaven on Earth today,
For I'm with love environed,
Encircled - on Life's way.
For love makes earth an Eden.
What did the Master say?
Heaven's Kingdom is within you
While yet on earth you stay.
Well, life is not yet done, dear,
Though life's been long with me;
I've had a deal of time, dear,
Now - I've Eternity.
For life, though it be long, dear,
Is but the break of day,
Is but God's child outstarting
Upon his Heavenward way.
This life is but our birthday,
Our childhood - infancy;
Our school - our education,
Till fuller life we see.
Lying stretched out before us
Farther than thought can see,
Knowing no limitations
Stretches Infinity.
And this is ours, dear Rica,
For we are His, you see,
For "Where I am" the Word says,
There shall my children be.
Our Father's life is our life;
His Home our Home will be,
His Heavenly habitation
Is ours eternally.
Look at the time, my darling,
You must be off to bed.
Come, kiss your dear old Granny,
God bless your curly head.
John, I declare, you're dozing.
You're tired, do you say?
"Not too tired to remember
Fifty-seven years today!"
Anniversary of
their wedding day. Feb.26, 1910
Ernest (Birch)
See also the “Afterthought” following this poem.