Andrew means “manly” I can live with that though I once had a yen to be Martin
Briefly
My family name is Wilson – Son of William – whoever he was in the mists of history
Unknown
My recently widowed Grandmother demanded I be commemoratively named Arthur
Unwise
Andrew Arthur doesn’t sing right so my rebel parents named me Andrew Frewin
Defied
Frewin – Anglo-Saxon “Frea-ing” – Friend of the Ruler!
No way…
© Andrew Wilson, 2024
Over at dVerse Poets Pub, Laura Bloomsbury in Meeting the Bar: Critique and Craft, invites us to write the poetry of names using a
WaltMarie poetry style…
10 lines
Even lines are just 2 syllables
Odd lines are longer but without syllable restriction
The even lines make their own mini-poem if read separately
The meter and rhyme are unspecified
And the theme of your poem should be
The history/meaning of your name
or one you wish you had
or an imaginary one
I was born in the gatehouse of Frewin Hall, Oxford which is part of Brasenose College of which my father was then a don. In return for this subsidised college house, part of his duties was to lock the gates at 9pm each night as the students were curfewed in those days – imagine! My Grandfather on my Father’s side died during my Mother’s pregnancy with me and this poem tells the result of the conflict between my domineering Grandmother and my parents…
There is a Frewin family who presumably built Frewin Hall but as far as I know, I am the only person to have Frewin as a middle name, so if you have ever wondered about my “handle” Frewin55, now you know. (I was born 8th March 1955.)
I really enjoyed your WaltMarie, Andrew, and reading about your history – you know I love a bit of autobiography! Thanks for clearing up where Frewin55 comes from, and happy birthday for tomorrow.
Thanks Kim – you might enjoy my A to Z in April then – I am desperately trying to get posts written in advance…
what a fascinating chain of links the WaltMarie unearthed Andrew – happy birthday to you!
Thanks Laura, it was challenging to get the story into the form…
First of all happy birthday in advance, Andrew!
How interesting! I loved the backstory of your name (and thanks for solving the mystery of your blog name).
By the way, do you know, girls’ hostels still have curfew in India!
Ihank you so much Punam, I think the boys are the ones that need locking down giving the girls safer freedom…
Happy Birthday!! Your poem and the history surrounding your name ~~ fascinating! I have had a computer crash/death and not publishing poems is frustrating. Replacement should arrive next week. Followed by “the learning curve.” I have such wonderful memories of visiting Oxford in the early 80s.
Thanks Helen, just been through that with a new computer and a new phone…
I love your story in this poem, Andrew! A manly name is not so bad! Sounds like your parents had a bit of grandma in them as well! :>)
You are so right Dwight, my Mum just replaced my Dad’s mother in many ways and the two women never saw eye to eye…
Theway this poetry form almost secretly inscribes another is a treat here…enjoyed!
Thanks Ain, with oinly 2 syllables in the even lines, it really only gives you on or at most 2 short words – it’s hard to work with…
So interesting! I enjoy finding out the meaning of names, so this prompt has been right up my alley! Happy Birthday to you! 😀
Thank you Carol, it’s a story I don’t tell often…
Happy birthday, fellow Pisces! I loved your WaltMarie! You included so much of your personal history within it while also showing a bit of your personality. I thought it was wonderful!
Yvette M Calleiro 🙂
http://yvettemcalleiro.blogspot.com
Thanks Yvette – just waiting for family to arrive for a curry later on…
First off, Happy Birthday, Andrew. By my math you are 70 today? 7 is a lucky number and the 10 multiplies your luck by 10. You told a lot of name origin and family dynamics in just a few words. I wanted to name my first son Amos Levy but couldn’t get his dad on board with it. Second son I wanted to name Harry, but with the last name Fox it wouldn’t have gone over well.
Thanks Lisa, Poetry is so pared down compared to prose where you have to tell the whole story beginning, middle and end but a poem gets to the heart of the matter – as you say – in just a few words…
Happy Birthday Andrew. Thank you for the tour of your naming and the meaning too. I love your humour. Was it the Conqueror or Orange? But no way?
I am no royalist, Paul lol…