VERSE: MY WILL

In the verse titled “My Will” from “Legends and Lyrics – Second Series,” the speaker, devoid of tangible wealth like lands or gold, devises a bequest of intangible but deeply personal gifts to beloved individuals in anticipation of a time when they will no longer be present. To Mabel, the speaker wills their memory and name, cherished through an unwavering bond that refuses to share even the slightest thought acknowledged by the speaker. Bertha, recognized for her potential to surpass the speaker’s contributions to their kind, is bequeathed an ongoing project — albeit tangled and unfinished — with faith that her efforts will not only complete but elevate it, endearing it to her more for its initiator’s sake.

Ruth is entrusted with the speaker’s dearest vehicle of duty, a task demanding persistent commitment and emotional resilience, valued for its inherent blessing and the shared years of struggle to uphold it. To Alice, the speaker leaves their undiminished love, a sanctuary of warmth and light against the encroachment of darkness or cold in her life, untouched by past hurts, a gift exclusive and steadfast.

Concluding, the speaker contemplates the value of these legacies, questioning their worth yet confident in the future enrichment of these gifts by the passage of years. Despite the apparent poverty of material bequests, the speaker avers a wealth incomparable, rooted not in the gifts themselves but in the wealth of true, enduring affection and legacy they represent. This verse embodies a thoughtful contemplation on the intangible, yet invaluable, legacies one can pass on, emphasizing emotional bonds and personal growth over material possessions.