I don't know if this is the whole thing or a section of a longer poem, but I'd like to try and find out if it's an established work with a known author, or whether it's a bespoke piece.
It was sent by my Grandad to my Nan in 1944 when he was away fighting, and she kept it and treasured it ever since, as Grandad was never too good with words or writing, so this is something special.
Unfortunately, Nan died earlier this week, and we'd like this read out at her service. So any ideas on possible authors would be most appreciated. Or did it simply come from the heart of a lovestruck Tommy?
Thanks in advance for your help.
All in all you've been to me My comfort in adversity, My sunshine when the skies were grey, My good companion all the way. Everything you are to me, My hope, my help, my destiny. The joy of every journey's end, My sweetheart and my dearest friend.
I've googled it and put it in Alta Vista and nothing has come up so I suspect it was written by a lovestruck Tommy - which makes it all the more meaningful doesn't it?
It's also possible it was the greeting in a card or a magazine - my grandfather during the first world war copied drawings and 'words' that meant something to him in a notebook which I still have.
Hi Mictain ..... I have done some extensive searching for you on lots of websites and in many books I have - and I can find nothing - but it's a beautiful poem, and I am sure it will mean just as much without knowing the author - good luck with it, am sure it will be very well received.
EK
I couldn't find anything on it either, after looking round some more, so I'm content to leave it as a lovely piece from the front lines. Unless anyone knows different, of course :-)
Thank you very much for your assistance on this, anyway. Much appreciated.
That's so beautiful. I read a book years ago of letters written from the front line. It was full of the most incredible pieces of emotion ever put on paper by squaddies who lke your grandad 'were never too good with words or writing' but made more poetry with their letters than any noteworthy probably ever did or will do.
Did your grandad survive the war? It's just that because you weren't sure if he'd written it I wasn't sure if anyone had ever had the chance to ask him. I'm sorry for my wording.
Hey, NiceCupOfTea, thanks for the question. Yes, my Grandad survived the war, but the poem wasn't known about by anyone but my Nan for quite some time. It was put away with other personal items, as so often happens, so when we did finally get to know about it, Grandad wasn't in any fit state to tell us its origins, unfortunately.
Still, like you say; it's beautiful and it was special to them both, which is the most important thing :-)