This is a 20th century poem (50s/60s maybe) about a childhood memory of a planned visit by (I think) three older cousins: it was cancelled and the cousins never came. The writer later in life is looking back on his disappointments but thinks that still one day the cousins may arrive , and "walk out in their tremendous way" - he says "they are to be tried yet"...the cousins become mythical, a metaphor for his unsatisfied dreams and hopes.

Any ideas anyone? Its decades since I read it but the image has stuck with me.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/21/2006 03:38PM by StephenFryer.

No, luck, the only hits I come up with is your query. Can you remember any other specific words? Can you point out which words you are sure of? (are you sure it was tremendous for example?).

But since it is 20th century it is probably still in copyright, and most likely not on the internet. Anyone any clues about this one? It sounds interesting.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/21/2006 03:39PM by StephenFryer.

Thanks for trying Desi. Thinking more about it, actually I'm pretty sure it was

"...walked out (or "walk out"] in their overwhelming way", not tremendous (which would make more sense anyway as it's a regular pentemeter). I think the phrase at the end was "and are to be tried yet".

I've also tried everything I can think of on the web. I shall try the Poetry Library in London, as they run a similar lost poems forum. If I find it I'll let you know :-)

Uh, mebbe not. Unless there is a 2nd coming of June 2003, that is.

[www.poetrylibrary.org.uk]



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/21/2006 03:40PM by StephenFryer.

I'm afraid we've got all sorts of funding problems at the Poetry Library but it ought not to be long now.



Stephen



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/21/2006 03:40PM by StephenFryer.

OK, well I see my search for a lost quote has now become a search for a lost quote service...this is escalating somewhat alarmingly...



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/21/2006 03:41PM by StephenFryer.

Are you sure that the poem's title was 'The Cousins'?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/21/2006 03:43PM by StephenFryer.

>a search for a lost quote service ...

Some folks say this one is of value:

[www1c.btwebworld.com]



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/21/2006 03:43PM by StephenFryer.

I'm pretty sure it was, Ian, though after 30 years you never know. After all, how many people think Hamlet said "Alas poor Yorick, I knew him well..."?

The word "visit" appeared in it as well, I'm sure, so I guess there is an off chance that it was called "The Visit", but I don't think so.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/21/2006 03:44PM by StephenFryer.

FOUND IT. After all this time, Pengiun Modern Poets 14, 1969.

The Situation.

For it was that the cousins never came,
And so we could not know what they were like.
They never did walk out in their overwhelming way
To stand by the streaming water-butt, or
To hold the fence with their girls' adult hands.
This garden can't be remembered having them laughing,
So they remain a possibility:
That after our disappointment with man
And with dogs and with travel and with remaining still,
From our last armchairs we shall come to know
That there are the cousins left; who, that day,
Were to come, and did not, and are there to be tried yet.

Alan Brownjohn.


Edit:- I e-mailed Godfrey direct as I doubted he was still checking here. He says that he hadn't found it in the interim, but now he's been told where to find it, he has the book on his shelf. "You can't Google print" he said.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 05/21/2006 03:51PM by StephenFryer.

Oh my, such a ni-i-i-ce catch! Emule rools!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/21/2006 03:52PM by StephenFryer.

Linda, I congratulate you on your persistence. There is nothing like hard copy, we owe a lot to Ilza and all of the librarians out there. Where would we be without you?

Les

That wasn't persistance, that was buying a book I'd never read before in a second-hand bookshop and something ringing a bell in the back of my mind as I was reading it in the bathroom.

Whatever the stimulus Linda, I'm sure Mr. Rust is very pleased to have found the poem.

Les