Solving the Mystery of the Dorning Mew

Photo by Annie Spratt 

From across the Pond, a friend came for some meetings

I said, stay with us, when I gave her our greetings.

I will watch your daughter, so lovely is she,

You’ll not have to worry about how she may be.

Not wanting to burden, nor show to be rude

She gave me a hug with much gratitude

And said that her child, although very young,

Could speak quite well but with a twist of her tongue.

I asked, “What’s your name, you beautiful child?”

With strawberry hair so curly and wild.

She said, “Helen Regina Maria Golightly”

And gave me a curtsy so very politely.

She’d removed her hat of red felt and bow

That matched her red coat over a frock with a flow

Of flowers and ribbons and lovely white lace

The colors matched perfectly with her chubby cream face.

Her eyes were large, green and seemed wise

When she grew up, she’d be quite a prize.

She seemed precocious and yet very sweet,

And would capture the hearts of those whom she’d meet.

As we waved a farewell to her mother when leaving

I was surprised that this little girl was showing no grieving.

Perhaps she knew she’d see her later for dinner

And did not want to show she was a wee beginner.

She said that now she wanted to sit

And talk about secrets that would help quite a bit

For me to understand her and all her great needs

To not become angry for any misdeeds.

Photo by carolyn christine 

“I shall like to have tea each morning with you,

If you could spare a small table made for two,

Out in your garden where we can be alone,

To eat clotted cream and jam on a scone.”

Oh my, I thought, having none of these things,

I’ll have to go shopping for this custom she clings.

We sat up a table for the morrow’s tea party

I would rise early, not wanting to be tardy.

I took Helen shopping for cream, scones and more

Her mouth dropped open for what she saw in the store

So many things that she’d never seen

Picking out items that made her feel quite keen.

The next morning, I hurried out the back door,

To find Helen sobbing with a terrible roar.

“The dorning mew! The dorning mew,” she kept crying out loud.

I tried to calm her before she drew a big crowd.

I didn’t know why she was in such a snit,

And couldn’t comfort or calm her one single bit.

“What are you saying?” I asked with concern,

Not having a clue and needing to learn.

But she just kept crying and repeating again,

“The dorning mew,” as if it brought pain.

She sobbed, “We cannot have our tea just yet,

Because the scones will crumble when wet.”

And suddenly the answer came heaven sent,

When I realized exactly what she had meant.

I smiled and hugged her and told her to wait.

That soon when the sun rose, the ‘morning dew’ would abate.

She looked up at me and the tears did stop,

When I explained that the morning dew came when there’s no top

To the garden like she had with a large canopy

To shelter the table for scones, jam and tea.

When the sun rose higher, and the warmth flowed down

It dried the morning dew and took away her frown.

We sat in the garden eating scones, cream and jam,

I said that for supper we’d have cherries and ham.

She seemed pleased with her visit when her mother arrived,

And explained how the ‘dorning mew’ would never survive:

“When the sun comes out,” Helen began to expound,

“It dries up the ‘mewlets’ so the scones will stay round.”

Her mother was happy to know her child felt fulfilled

Knowing her daughter could be quite strong-willed

But she’d leave this new place feeling happy and mild

And gave me a “Thank you” and a hug as she smiled.

Photo by Bruce A 

But I hoped that the wonders which Helen held high

Would stay with her always and not leave by and by.

I invited her back anytime to see me

That I would be ready to serve scones and some tea.

She excitedly said that she’d be happy to return

And watch the ‘mewlets’ go away as they’d burn

From the rays of the sun and the warmth of the day,

For another experience, she’d begin to pray.

Then she surprised me with another big hug

And tugged me down closer to kneel on my rug

For to whisper a message in my left ear:

“I’ll love you forever, for you are so dear.

“You treated me not like a child one time,

But as a grown-up, which felt quite sublime.

I ‘preciate those actions very much from you

And for your understanding those difficult words, ‘dorning mew.’”