Natanya: Letters from home
-
_Peltarch, Narfell, my dear and loving daughter Natanya
Your good friend headpriest Patheric Namara
was so good as to write these words down.
Your two brother Thomas and Frederic have all gone
to find work in the highdales
the house is so empty and sad
The crop of potatoes is sorely infected,
a third to a half of them bad.
And your friend Brigid and Andrew Reginal
are going to be married in June.
Your brothers says not to work in the docks
and be sure to come on home soon.Peltarch, Narfell, dear and loving daughter Natanya
Hello from from Brigid and to her beautiful son,
he is growing healthy and strong.
Your bother Frederic has got in a bit of trouble,
I guess that he never will learn.
Because of the dampness there's no turf to speak of
and now we have nothing to burn.
And Brigid is happy, you named the child for her
and now she's pregnant again.
You say you found some challenge, but you don't say what kind
or when you will be coming home.Peltarch, Narfell, dear Natanya, my dear loving daughter
I'm sorry to give you the very sad news
that your dear friend Pathric has gone.
they buried him down near the temple in Tasseldale,
your brother and Brigid were there.
You don't have to worry, he died very quickly,
remember him in your prayers.
And it's so good to hear that Thomas is returning,
with money he's sure to buy land
For the crop has been poor and the people
are selling at any price that they can.Peltarch, Narfell, my dear and loving daughter Natanya
I guess that I must be close on to eighteen,
it's two years since you're gone.
Because of all of the money your brother Frederic send me,
I'm still living out on my own.
Thomas has built himself a fine house
and Brigid's son has grown.
Thank you for sending your family a letter,
have you found a young and handsome man?
You say that you might even come for a visit,
what joy to see you again.Peltarch, Narfell, my dear daughter Natanya
I'm sorry that I didn't write sooner
to tell you that your brother Frederic was hung.
He was sentenced for stealing sheep, they said he was
grinning right down to the end.
Ah, you should have seen him when home, playing with
the three children of Brigid, your friend.
And we buried him alongside of father,
down at the Tasseldale churchyard.
He was a strong and healthy young man,
considering our life was so hard.
And it's funny the way he kept talking about you,
he asked for you to the end.
Oh, why don't you think about coming to visit,
we'd all love to see you again._-inspired by kilkelly-
