…from my cousin Will Luke. Will’s mother, Lisa, and I are first cousins, making Will a first cousin once-removed. At a family dinner, one summer, another first cousin of mine (actually she is my father’s first cousin, making us also first cousins once-removed) helped me to finally get straight all the first cousin, second cousin, once or twice removed details. It’s one of those random things I’m glad I know.
Lucky me, I get to see all of my cousins on my father’s side of the family because we share a summer house on Islesford. Sooner or later they all come to the island to spend some time in one of our favorite places on earth. (Lucky me again. I am the only one of us who figured out how to come to the island to stay for the rest of my life.)
Where does old e.e. figure in to this? Will, a 7th grade student in New Jersey, was studying poetry in his English class. Their recent assignment was to write a poem in the style of e.e. cumming’s poem, “in Just-.” The students had to pick a season, other than spring, and write their own similar poem.
Will chose to write about summer, and Islesford. I was so surprised and happy that my cousin Lisa thought to e-mail Will’s homework to me last night. I just loved it! Here it is for you, reprinted with the author’s permission.
in Just
by W. T. Luke
in Just
summer when the air is mosquito
licsious the little
annoying seagulls
caw far and close
and nedanddan come
jogging from football
and slingshotting
and it’s
summer
when the world is relaxation-wonderful
the annoying
old seagulls caw
far and close
and barbandbruce come laughing
from fishing and jewelry-making and
it’s
summer
and
the
flapping
seagulls caw
far
and
close
Summer 2011
Barbara S Fernald Jewelry 