Inheritance

                                                                                          Gloucester Old Spot pigs

 

Dear Reader, 

The Gloucester Old Spots can only be dated to the early 20th century.  Whilst there are many paintings of spotted pigs it is not clear what these pigs were and if they were any relation to the Gloucestershire Old Spots of today.  They were known as the Orchard Pig in the Berkley Vale of Gloucestershire based on the fact that they lived quite happily outside amongst the orchards eating the fallen apples.  From being a very small breed some 40 years ago it is now the largest numerically of the pig breeds listed by The Rare Breeds Survival Trust.

The reason I wrote the following poem was because I had visited a farm in the Cotswolds and had spied these pigs.  They really are wonderful and I think beautiful with their brown spots.  My father had many brown spots on his hands and so have I, and they made me think about what we inherit from our parents. Often when I look at my hands I see my father's hands and think about him.  I loved him dearly but he died when I was in my early twenties so I didn't get a chance to find out about his life when he was young. Although I know he fought in the first World War. 

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From Francis Kilvert, June 15th, 1873 in Wiltshire

'The sun and the golden buttercup meadows had it almost to themselves.....One or  two people were crossing the Common early by the several paths through the golden sea or buttercups which will soon be the silver sea of ox-eyes.  The birds were singing quietly.  The cuckoo's notes tolled clear and sweet as a silver bell.'

From James Woodforde, June 19th, 1799, in Norfolk

'Very cold indeed again to-day, so cold that Mrs. Custance came walking in her spencer with a bosom-friend.'

NOTE. Mrs. Custance, as a lady of fashion, would have worn her gowns low cut, in the bosomy manner so often drawn by Rowlandson: in cold weather she would have needed the fashionable item of clothing known as the 'bosom-friend.

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Inheritance

What was it that made me
think of you, who
are bone-dust now,
with no statue or monument
to bear your witness?
Was it the apple-bruised spots
on the Gloucestershire Old Spots pigs,
their legacy from apple orchards, long ago,
to mark them out?

In the afternoon sunlight
as I bent to touch their skin
I saw that my hands, brown-spotted,
were your hands, identical.
Was this your legacy to me,
something to say you were here?

More precious than possessions,
you passed to me our inheritance
from some ancient eastern shore.
Your browness, your hands, brown spotted,
which marked you.

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My memoir  'Half a Pair of People' is now out on Amazon.  Look for it in books:    Patricia Huth  and click here and they will send you a copy if you would like one.  Sorry to boast here but I do have eleven 5 star reviews and most people seem to find it amusing.  Hilarious in fact. As I told you last week I have to do this publicity against my will because I have no publicity agent. 

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With very best wishes, Patricia