The Garden Of The West.

For me Mono Monday's challenge of a favourite poem proved an easy one.

A book I treasure is an old exercise book belonging to my Mum. Full of poetry.
This is one of my favourite. I have no idea who wrote it. Just the initials W.T.W.
I thought I would also include some of Mum's old photos too. Taken in and around Penzance in 1924. She was there on holiday visiting her grandmother.
Note Grandad has his hat and suit on! 

The Garden Of The West.


There's a longing, such a longing
In my lonely heart tonight;
And a thousand scenes come thronging
With the day's fast waning light.
First. I see the waves come dashing
On the Penzance Promenade,
And in dreams I hear them splashing
As I did there when a lad.


Then the storm is gone 'tis morning,
Brown sails coming home to rest,
Through the harbour gate at Newlyn,
That's the sight the folks love best.
Just to see Tom,Dick and Harry
Have their nets out on the slip
Where the grey,beard giants tarry
As white sea-gulls rise and dip.


Then a pathway I can see there
Running, up and round the hill
To a box of red geraniums on a cottage window-sill,
To the right an open doorway
Then my room of dreams so bright,
Then my mother,Heaven bless her
And protect her day and night.


Cornish roads and Cornish hedges,
Homeysuckle, roses sweet,
Where each man knows what a pledge is
And strong hearts misfortune meet.
There's no other place like Cornwall
To an exiled Cousin Jack
Say a prayer to lonely dreamers
As the dream that they are back.


Cornwall reared each one to love her,
Then she sent her children far;
But the smiling skies above her
They can see from where they are
Through they tired be and weary
There's a paradise in rest
When in dreams they cross the ocean
To the Garden Of The West.
                                                       W.T.W.

I wonder if it was written by one of the Cornish miners who went over to America, to find work, at the begining of the 1900's.  My Great Grandfather was one of them, leaving a wife and six children behind. He never returned.