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The diamond glints on snow (Complete)
http://www.the-cbb.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=7330
Author:  ammonite [ Thu Feb 11, 2010 1:15 pm ]
Post subject:  The diamond glints on snow (Complete)
This was inspired by the discussion on fragility in Anything Else and is based on me misreading a sentence.

The bell tolled in the nearby church as the mourners straggled across the meadow to where the row of coffins lay. Two-thirds of the coffins were draped in gentian blue and many were smaller than standard.
Miss Annersley arrived first at the side of the coffins, still looking thin and gaunt from her bout of 48 hour flu, from which she had struggled to recover in order to be here. She dreaded going back to the school in case the news that greeted was that another of her pupils or friends had lost the struggle with the epidemic. The flu had hit hard after he first diagnosis and many families had been torn apart forever in the swift week since the first case.
Many of those who would have attended were still fighting their own battles in the many dormitories that had been converted to hospital wards for the flu hit Platz.
The Vicar and Priest arrived and began saying the joint burial service, which had been decided on, as the coffins began to be laid in the hastily consecrated ground, which had been needed as the death toll rose.
The field echoed to the sound of muffled sobs as the parents summoned rapidly after the first deaths fought to control their grief and said a last private grief to their children.
Miss Annersley turned round seeking some words of comfort for the assembled crowd but the words could not come as she saw Joey comforting a weeping Con as Len’s coffin was laid into the grave. Len had been the first death and the shock that this had caused was still there mingled with the grief for so many others who had died since. Jack was not attending, throwing himself into the battle to save others and Margot was recovering from her own fight with the flu.
Her eyes swept over the crowd misting with unshed tears as she noted the missing faces. Standing there, she vowed to rebuild the school to its former glory prior to the decimation caused in such short time by the flu.
With this she stooped and picked up a handful of soil dropping it on the coffin below and braced herself with a quick prayer to try to find words of comfort that would not flow to her tongue. She walked into the crowd and turned her attention to comforting the survivors and to resurrecting the school from this disaster.

Do not stand at my grave and weep;
I am not there. I do not sleep.
I am a thousand winds that blow.
I am the diamond glints on snow.
I am the sunlight on ripened grain.
I am the gentle autumn rain.
When you awaken in the morning's hush
I am the swift uplifting rush
Of quiet birds in circled flight.
I am the soft stars that shine at night.
Do not stand at my grave and cry;
I am not there. I did not die.

Mary E Frye.

Edited once as I can't write!
Author:  clair [ Thu Feb 11, 2010 1:26 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The diamond glints on snow
That's so sad - maybe this should come with a tissue warning :cry:

Is there more to come ammonite?
Author:  Fezziwig [ Thu Feb 11, 2010 1:33 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The diamond glints on snow
*blows nose on tissue* (and disposes of it as per government flu warnings.) Very moving writing, thank you.

Nick
Author:  Llywela [ Thu Feb 11, 2010 1:43 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The diamond glints on snow
Heck, did I inspire this? Marvellous :)
Author:  Alison H [ Thu Feb 11, 2010 2:08 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The diamond glints on snow
That's so sad :cry: .
Author:  cal562301 [ Thu Feb 11, 2010 2:10 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The diamond glints on snow
Very moving, thank you.

Is there more to come?
Author:  ChubbyMonkey [ Thu Feb 11, 2010 2:17 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The diamond glints on snow
*sits with tears very much in evidence* I was relatively ok until the poem, but that was so sad and poignant! Thankyou.
Author:  JB [ Thu Feb 11, 2010 5:35 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The diamond glints on snow
Thanks, Ammonite. That was so sad.
Author:  linda [ Thu Feb 11, 2010 8:04 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The diamond glints on snow
That was so sad, but possible, given how close together the girls and teachers lived. It only needed one person to bring the virus in.

I was given a copy of the poem just after my mum died and it always reminds me of her.

Thanks, Ammonite.
Author:  Abi [ Thu Feb 11, 2010 8:27 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The diamond glints on snow
:cry: Beautiful but terrible and sad.
Author:  sealpuppy [ Thu Feb 11, 2010 8:40 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The diamond glints on snow
And now I'm blowing my nose too. Sad but intriguing, and plausible too. I don't think there can be a happy ending to this one :shock:
Author:  Sugar [ Thu Feb 11, 2010 11:35 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The diamond glints on snow
That poem always does me in :cry: :cry:
Author:  Elbee [ Fri Feb 12, 2010 12:49 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The diamond glints on snow
That was very moving :( .

Thanks, ammonite.
Author:  Lesley [ Fri Feb 12, 2010 7:43 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The diamond glints on snow
So sad - and so possible. :cry:


Thanks ammonite
Author:  PaulineS [ Sat Feb 13, 2010 2:48 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The diamond glints on snow
Thank you
Author:  Mrs Redboots [ Sat Feb 13, 2010 6:16 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The diamond glints on snow
Thank you. ::sniffs in a most unladylike manner::

Apparently in the 1918-19 epidemic it was the older teenagers who died, rather than the very old or very young; they simply wore themselves out with coughing.
Author:  Pat [ Sat Feb 13, 2010 6:50 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The diamond glints on snow
Dad had the flu in 1918 and recovered - obviously. He'd have been about 13 at the time as he was born in 1905. He was left with a shadow on his lung for the rest of his life.
Author:  ammonite [ Sat Feb 13, 2010 7:18 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The diamond glints on snow
There isn't more to come. This was a brief one off just inspired by Llywela. I can't keep up the sadness unlike MaryR. :D
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