Celebrating National Poetry Day on Nadja's Sad Anniversary

Nadja at her wedding on 6th Dec 1922.
Published in The Sketch on 13th Dec 1922.

Today marks the 85th anniversary of the sad, untimely death of Nadja Malacrida, who was killed in a car accident when she was driving back to London after spending time at Cecil Roberts’ "Pilgrim Cottage" in Henley.

As today is also National Poetry Day in the UK, rather than dwell on the negative, we thought we would post something positive and here is one of Nadja’s poems taken from her "Evergreen" collection, written when she still had her whole life ahead of her.

TO MYSELF.

GOOD-NIGHT, my soul! Be governed by yourself.

No ruling passions let your heart engulf,

But be at rest, and ere you sink in sleep

Pray God in Heaven safe your life to keep.

All evil thoughts and passions you should flee,

Ask Heaven's pardon, low, on bended knee.

Implore God's grace, and when once more you rise

To face the day, feel nearer Paradise!

October 1st, 1908.

(Taken from "The Evergreen Poems" by Nadja (pseud)

Originally published in 1912 by ARTHUR L. HUMPHREYS, London - Second Edition.)