Subject: Re: My work on Green Turtle Cay. Date: Sun, 8 Nov 1998 20:46:34 -0000 From: "Pauline Copeland" To: Dear Jack, Thank you for your quick email in reply to mine. It was when I was "surfing" the net that I came upon the page about your journal and decided to send you a quick message. Before typing out the poem I wrote I will give you a bit of background. My maiden name was Pauline Larkin and in the 50's and 60's my Dad had a holiday cottage on Black Sound. I spent a lot of time there as my Dad was the Chief Inspector of Bahamas Airways at that time and it was easy for us to fly back and forth. My last visit prior to the one in April was over twenty-five years ago and shortly after that Dad sold his Black Sound property as Bahamas Airways ceased to be. Since then I have returned to Nassau but never to Green Turtle Cay. This April I returned to Nassau with my sister taking our mother's ashes to be buried with our father's at Woodlawn Cemetery in Nassau. We also decided to spend a few days in Abaco and stayed at the New Plymouth Inn. It was an incredible few days. There were very few changes in New Plymouth and I hadn't walked from one end of the town to the other before I was recognised and people were talking about the years long ago when I was such a regular visitor. I spent many hours sitting with Chester Lowe when he talked about the old days. I saw Neville Key & Earl Russell who were good friends of my family. I met again Mrs. Cash who used to make the most wonderful ice-cream. Cynthia Lowe's daughter wouldn't let me pay for ice-cream because her Mum had told her I wasn't to be charged. Cynthia's son-in-law took me out in his boat to see the property Dad once owned. Marsha in the shop spent hours reliving things we had done. I met Ambrose again who helped my Dad when he was building additions on our property. It really was wonderful and I felt so strong after receiving such a reception from people I thought would have forgotten me many years ago. The poem I wrote came from that visit and is very personal to me but as it is a tribute to Green Turtle Cay I feel the people there should know how their part of the world can be viewed. I felt so close to my parents who are both dead and I felt I have had such a special childhood as memories came flooding back. I hope you like the poem I did send a copy to Beverly Currie who lives in Nassau but other than anyone she might have showed it to I haven't passed it on to anyone else. If you do use it please let me know and I would want a copy of it in the journal or whatever publication you use it in. If you decide it isn't suitable perhaps you would be kind enough to tell me. I am writing to you from South West Scotland where my husband and I are both teachers. We have lived her since 1980 when we came here after over fourteen years spent teaching in Bermuda. Enough or my rambling, here is the poem:- Have you ever? Have you ever been back to your childhood To see if your memories are true, Were the colours as bright as a paint box Was the see so incredibly blue? Dear friend, I went back to my childhood, My childhood in Green Turtle Cay Where I walked barefoot along Bay Street And soaked up the sun and the sea. The years between these two visits Have seen me grow older through time But the Green Turtle Cay of my childhood Has remained one of beauty sublime. The quaint little town of New Plymouth Still shows it is tended with care. I can only rejoice at the beauty Being cherished by those living there. If you ever care to go backwards To a place where charm can be found, Go back to the place of my childhood Where peace and tranquillity abound. This part of Abaco shows you That the world can still offer grace Through the beauty by Nature created In a wonderful much cherished place. April, 1998 Pauline Copeland.