Rallentanda

Rallentanda

Thursday, December 6, 2012

Dame Elizabeth Murdoch 1909 - 2012


She had been a widow for sixty years
The gorgeous brave 'babe with arms'
who followed her heart at 19
for a much older man
Her love for her husband
gave her strength
every day of her long life

Compassionate kind generous
intelligent humorous humble
and irresistibly charming
a great great Grandmother
with 73 direct descendants
who occasionally
" took the slipper"
to her very famous son.

A modern day Saint
A refined lovely woman
not without
A cheeky twinkle with the faintest hint
of Aussie irreverence

Our revered philanthropist
Champion of the Arts and
Angel to our sick children

Dame Elizabeth Murdoch
You will be missed
Our nation will mourn you
R. I. P.

12 comments:

  1. I know her famous son, had no idea she was so famous though.
    This is a lovely tribute to her. She sounds as if she was brave and determined in knowing what she wanted from life and, she wasn't afraid to go and find it.
    Really lovely poem.
    RYN: Thanks for such a great comment, appreciated.

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  2. Nicely said.

    Though I wish she had drowned Rupert at birth.

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  3. Oh Cosmo..bit strong old son on the day of Mum's passing!

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  4. What a wonderful tribute. You characterized her so well. I know nothing about her, but your poem makes me wish to know more. Perhaps a good idea might be to link an article? Of course, I know I could google her as well. I must admit to smiling at "Aussie irreverence."

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  5. Djareckon? Maybe. I think she was wonderful. But even as an atheist I would put her up for beatification if she had left Rupert out in a wicker basket for the wolves. Hang on, maybe she did...

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  6. this is a nice tribute...i will say i am unfamiliar i think so i have to go look up...a champion of arts and angel of the sick sounds like a good calling...

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  7. Any more of this Cosmo and I will be forced to take the slipper to you myself. Behave!

    Apologies to DDtoo Mary and Brian.For some reason or other Cosmo gets over excited when he visits this blog. Please ignore his unkind comments about the American citizen Rupert Murdoch.

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  8. What a wonderful woman - and the very best saints have that cheeky twinkle!

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  9. Lovely tribute. I like the photo of her too--that twinkle in her smile. Sounds like the world was lucky she had such a long life!

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  10. Cosmo, the lady's mother was Jewish. If she had gone for the 'wicker basket option' it would have been placed in a river and God alone knows what would have come about.

    Rallentanda, was Rupert really an American? I know the accents are similar ....

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  11. Rupert became an American citizen for business purposes ... lived and raised his children there.
    Rupert is already Moses of the media industry:)

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