I am sure I am not the only one who takes walks in graveyards. It is usually very quiet, excellent for thinking and comptemplating. And far from being depressing, to me it is a celebration of life. Everyone will end this part of the journey the same. They all had hopes and dreams, loves and heartaches. They knew joy and pain, laughter and tears. They held and touched, loved and caressed. Just as we all do. I cannot help but wonder, who these people were.
There is one person that has intrigued me for years. His stone sits mainly by itself in the old part of the cemetery. I have tried to track down some history on him, but to no avail. It was suggested that I try the local Later Day Saints as they have a library of local genealogy. That will be the next step.
He wrote his own poem. Where there other poems, other stories, from this one I would think so? I would hope so. From the hills around Monterey, the fog will come in and look like waves, at time completely obscuring the town from view. . .
1860 - Edward Thompson Nelson - 1886
Sometimes in the morning, we would stand
And mark the mimic ocean at our feet
The silent sea-fog that in silence beat
On unresounding silences of land-
Such joyless wastes of weariness, we thought
Lie all about him who doth dare despond-
Full well we knew the valley lay beyond,
For on the moment hung the morning, caught
Upon the summit of a mountain peak
And all the east with molten gold did reek,
The sea-fog heaved, the town before concealed
Gleamed out from roof and spire, the valley
lay revealed.
E.T.N.
Only 26 years old, Who did he stand with on that mountain, the waves of fog mirroring the ocean waves, those many years ago, a lover, a friend, a wife? Was he born here? His is the only Nelson marker, so was he an adventurer from the east, or English, seeking his fame and fortune. A new beginning? Did he die alone, or have the comfort of friends in the great passing. He is us in so many ways.
well keep us informed what you find out, colombo. on the serious side, we all have our own ways, but we'll all end up the same.
ReplyDeleteyou know i enjoy wandering thru graveyards as well, the older the better... i also wonder about the lives of those buried. especially the ones who died young. seems out here, 100+ yrs ago, it wasn't uncommon for someone to die before 30.
ReplyDeleteHey John, this is terrific! I walk in a graveyard by my place all the time. I really like to walk at night. I go there because it's quiet, it's safer than the streets-it has security and it's beautiful and has a feeling to it that I like. I really like the older, overgrown cemeteries like Highgate in London-or at least ones with nice old fashioned standing headstones. The one I walk in is one of the new golf course looking ones-mostly flat to the ground markers. I like to look at the tombstones as well and think about the people who lay there. This is a lovely poem and post. Thank you for sharing it with us.
ReplyDeleteI live next to a cemetary that started in the middle 1800's I love to go there. I think you have seen the pics from there on my site. It has hills and dales. Shadow and light. I love to go there to read the really old ones. A rambling through can really make one think and keep things in perspective.
ReplyDeleteThere are so many stories at burial grounds. Beautiful poem. 26 seems such a short life, yet it would seem a life lived. Keep us posted on what you find out.
ReplyDeleteVery beautiful and thank you for sharing. I once walked through a cemetary out in the middle of nowhere that was occupied by settlers to this country. Lots of babies. Very sad. They sure had it tough.
ReplyDeleteAnnie
This is very intriguing. I love his poem and I could see why you would want to know more. It's as if you are looking at life through his eyes and a part of him has lived on. :)
ReplyDeleteLove the track playing...I have always lived close to a graveyard, until we moved to TX. In Phila., we lived near a cemetery that had markers from the Revolutionary War.
ReplyDeleteIt is interesting...I always thought I wanted to be cremated, but there is something to say about leaving a marker for people to see. A visible reminder that you stood on this earth.
very very powerful words those! He most certainly IS us -- we are all connected one way or the other!
ReplyDeleteMakes you wonder... What a wonderful find! Will be interesting to see what you find out.
ReplyDeleteAnd Alison Krouss with that beautiful voice of hers certainly adds to an already nice blog.
Hope you keep us informed as to any more news on Mr. Edward Thompson Nelson.
standing in time with your flag to be left to be read and understood by those who pass our way. A testament in time!
ReplyDeleteThis is very interesting and quite intriguing...I too like the quiet cimiteries have....I hope you can discover more about this man...I really liked the poem...
ReplyDeleteThere is a really unique cemetary in Northern Romania, in Sapanta (Maramures) which is called the Merry Cemetery where people's epitaphs are naivly written in an ironic manner, defying death...Maybe because that region of the country is the only one who wasn't occupied by the Roman Empire and the old Dacs retired there. They had the tradition to weep when a baby was born into this world and be jolly when someone died...I'm really sorry I don't have time to enlarge...Anyway, I blogged about it a while ago...and I'll post here the slideshow I used on tha blog, photos from that cemetary and the Maramures region:
And I only found two little poems...but there are much more which are far better than these...
"Here lies my mother-in-law.
Had she lived another year,
I would have layed here."
“Burn in Hell you damned Taxi
That came from Sibiu
As large as Romania is
You couldn’t find any other place to stop
Only in front of my house
To kill me?"
I loved the poem and the whole post, it's great. I love what you said in its beginning. He was pretty young, i hope he didn't die lonely.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing.
Hi, John! Here's a link to a short blog about the cemetery I was talking about...
ReplyDeletehttp://blog.360.yahoo.com/blog-AZKemTMherLHVUf38v7Jl1sFhEs-?cq=1&tag=merry.cemetery
A wonderful poem. A tomb stone of one so young makes us wonder what he was doing and how many other poems he may have written. I also walk thru cemeteries at times...Where my mom & dad are buried is a really nice, quiet one with a few hills and there are many old stones there too. It does make you wonder what all these people did..Excellant post....thanks for sharing...xo
ReplyDeleteI like waking in old graveyards and reading the tomb stones. some of them are very sweet and sad. and I just love the music you have on here. very nice. I figured if I wanted to see you I'd have to come over here as your never on 360...lol....after christmas I'll try to get on here more often. been missing my lil penguin buddy. HAVE A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS AND SAFE AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!
ReplyDeleteI love walking thru graveyards, so much history. I have a very unique photo of a stone. I will have to post a few pics of my pics of grave stones. Most of them I go to during my geocaching. Let me see what I can do to put it here, otherwise, Look for them on my site for sure!! Blessings, lilangelwolf PS: let me know you were there...
ReplyDeleteMy photos are up on my page there are 2 albums and a link to a nother page online where other photos from the same cemetary can be found. I hope you come and check them out. If so, let me know what you think. Blessings, lilangelwolf
ReplyDeleteHei John
ReplyDeleteMakes one think reading this poem and your entry in particular.
I do find graveyards interesting places, too.
Take good care. Rii :)
I just love strolling through graveyards...especially the older sections. When I was in England I had a great time visiting OLDE graveyards but was amazed that people only get to stay in a grave about 100 years, then they empty it out for someone else. I guess that's what happens when space is limited! lol I grew up not far from Colma, Californa where there are more dead folks there than living. I spent many hours playing in the "park" growing up, where I learned how to read and appreciate the many headstones. When it's time for some peace and quiet I always head to the cemetery.
ReplyDelete