Gaffe!

Cherry

By Rhiannonw

Tue, 15 Apr 2025
  • 202 reads
17 comments
 

Was it in the 1910s? –
my mother’s tale half-remembered –
her mother on the dockside
for an emotional farewell to her friend (Auntie Polly?) (and husband?)
about to emigrate to Australia
– facing about six weeks in the steamship?

Some mishap, something forgotten,
some frustration …
and the blundering effort of someone
to soothe:
“Worse things happen at sea!”

[IP: All at sea]

Certificate U
Poem
Families
Humour
Inspiration Point (work that responds to our weekly writing cue)

Comments

Submitted by Insertponceyfre... on

Good IP response Rhiannon!

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

Thanks. It can be odd how the IP phrases stir up memories! Rhiannon

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

Thank you for the cherries for this little tale. Rhiannon

 

Submitted by Di_Hard on

:0) Oh Dear!

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

Amazing to think of those journeys now. Sadly I don't know if the friendship was kept up by sea mail in later years. Just think of getting a letter that had been written so long before! Rhiannon

 

Submitted by skinner_jennifer on

Imagine six weeks at sea...I can't, having never experienced.

I thought this was a great way to use the I. P. Rhiannon.

Jenny.

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

Thank you, Jenny. I suppose these days there would be cruises will all sorts of entertainments, but I think it would have been far different for those travellers then. I do remember my father saying, I think with a sigh, that he fancied a cruise on one of the banana ships that came into the docks where we lived from the Caribbean. They took on I gather just a few passengers, so he thought it would have been a really quiet 'escape' from pressures I think, not that there was nay possibility from time or money I think! Rh

 

Submitted by Tom Brown on

Are we in serious trouble captain? Captain, M'am we are in God's hands.

Oh dear! Is it that bad!

Thought you might enjoy. Keep well Rhiannon! Tom

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

We are always in God's hands, but there I suppose he was indicating that they themselves could see nothing they could personally do to help the situation, except pray and commit themselves ot an overruling providence. Rhiannon

 

Submitted by airyfairy on

I love that phrase, 'Worse things happen at sea' - it was my grandmother's response to pretty much any calamity, be it petty or catastrophic. I occasionally use it myself, and my kids look at me in complete bewilderment.

A lovely family story.

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

Thanks. Yes, I suppose the phrase isn't used as much now. I always feel the scene so possible, and the consternation when they realised what had been said. What a difference emgration was in those days! Rhiannon

 

Submitted by Yutka on

a moment from the past, recalled in this sparse poem, and still, tons of memories revived in waves of nostalgia...i loved this, Rhiannonw....also thank you for the last line....lovely! 

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

thank you. Yes the few words did  bring much of a long-gone era to mind! The phrase of the last line is probably not used so much nowadays, but on that occasion it wasn't helpful! Rhiannon

 

Submitted by Yutka on

a moment from the past, recalled in this sparse poem, and still, tons of memories revived in waves of nostalgia...i loved this, Rhiannonw....also thank you for the last line....lovely! 

 

Submitted by Yutka on

a moment from the past, recalled in this sparse poem, and still, tons of memories revived in waves of nostalgia...i loved this, Rhiannonw....also thank you for the last line....lovely! 

 

Submitted by marandina on

"...about to emigrate to Australia
– facing about six weeks in the steamship?"

Imagine that, SIX WEEKS!

That's an evocative poem and fascinating historical context.

Nicely done, Rhiannon.

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

Thank you, Paul. It does take you to another era somehow, doesn't it? Rhiannnon