Mabel Esther Allan 1915 – 1998
Born in Wallasey, UK she made up her mind to be a writer at the tender age of eight years old. Her publishing debut was interrupted by WWII when she served in The Women’s Land Army, Teacher and nursery warden for the children of factory workers. With her first publication in 1948, The Glen Castle Mystery, she made the decision to focus on writing for children. Her career included 170 books published for children. She sold 330 short stories between 1936 and 1937. Among her works included volumes of short stories, poems, essays, and her autobiography.
Immensity (Written during The Battle of Britian)
You go at night into immensity,
Leaving this green earth, where hawthorn flings
Pale stars on hedgerows, and our serenity
Is twisted into strange shapes; my heart never sings
Now on spring mornings, for you fly at nightfall
From this earth, I know
Toward the clear stars, and overall
Those dark seas and waiting towns you go;
And when you come to me
There are fearful dreams in your eyes,
And remoteness, Oh, God! I see
How far away you are,
Who may so soon meet death beneath an alien star.
– Mabel Esther Allan
The discovery of voices from the past and their messages are bridges to understanding that as much as things have changed, the human condition remains much the same. What voices from the past have you unearthed recently? I so enjoy meeting new friends and would love to hear about the ones that have captured your interest.
Bisous, Léa
poetry, photos and musings oh my! 
Oh my! She captures the heartbreaking fear for a loved one in danger. Trying to reconnect with blogs I used to follow, but no longer get notices, I came upon this today after learning that my oldest son , who was doing physical therapy after a triple by-pass, may have been exposed to Covid. He is 60 and has diabetes, so he is very vulnerable as he is still weak from the surgery. I couldn’t sleep last night and want to keep checking my messages today as he waits on results from tests. She expressed the feeling so well. It helps when someone can say what I am feeling when I can’t. Thank you for sharing this.
If it comforts you, I am glad. We struggle most wh_en it is our child/ren who are in distress. I can’t say it better than to offer the following quote. It is about books and readers but I have found great solace in a poem or even a quote.
“Perhaps there is a secret sort of homing instinct in books that brings them to their perfect readers.” Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows The Gurnsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
I’ve long held that belief but never put it into such a clear message. By the way, the book is excellent and while different from the film, both are about love and that sense of belonging.
Peace and love, Lea