Away
Posted: June 27, 2013 Filed under: Haroun and the Sea of Stories, The Story of a Mother 4 CommentsJarom’s aunt gave us this lovely framed poem by James Whitcomb Riley. If I haven’t gotten the story mixed up, Jarom’s great-grandmother got the poem when her father passed away in the 1920s. In addition to the message, I’m smitten with the type! Isn’t is beautiful?
Away by James Whitcomb Riley
I cannot say, and I will not say
That he is dead, He is just away!
With a cheery smile and a wave of the hand
He has wandered into an unknown land
And left us dreaming how very fair
It must needs be, since he lingers there
And you – oh you, who the wildest yearn
For the old-time step and the glad return
Think of him faring on, as dear
In the love of There, as the love of Here,
Think of him still as the same, I say,
He is not dead – he is just away.
Jarom
Mika
hilleries 
If that’s a typeface, I’m impressed. It looks like it was hand-lettered, from a time when there were people who did that. Sort of like you are doing now. What a beautiful way to connect two aspects of your life.
I love that!
I’ve read this poem before, a long time ago. It was on a fan graphic of some sort that I now can’t find, and can’t remember what fandom it was… oh well. Anyway, this is beautiful! My favorite part is the lilies of the valley sprig at the top.
I believe the piece came to Jarom’s great-great-grandmother after the sudden death of her husband, Maxwell Zaiss (a son of Christian Zaiss). It was among the things kept by Jarom’s great grandmother, Mildred Zaiss Hillery.