Saturday 31 October 2020

A Halloween Poem From Nadja


The Nadja Malacrida Society is currently putting a new book together which brings all of Nadja’s published poems together in one volume.

We noticed that, in the Evergreen Poems, she had some verses that she wrote on Halloween 1910, ie 90 years ago today, when she was 15 years old  – so we thought we’d share one with you here…

 

SHADOWS.


SHADOWS softly fleeting

 O'er the garden wall,

Making the great oak-tree

Wondrous grim and tall.

Nurse says the're no ghosts now.

But I know there are ;

Skimming round the chimney,

Now near and now far.

When I'm safely tucked up,

And nurse says good-night,

I do often wonder

Where they keep the light.

Shadows seem to wander

Round my little bed.

Drifting o'er the pillow

Where I lay my head.

Good-night, you old ghosts you

I ain't 'fraid of you,

'Cos you know my Nanny

Says you isn't true!

 

Nadja, October 31st, 1910

First published in the Evergreen: Poems,  Arthur L Humphreys (London, 1911)

Saturday 3 October 2020

86th Anniversary of Nadja's Death


Today marks the 86th anniversary of Nadja Malacrida's death in a car accident on the way home to London from a stay in Henley.  


Marchesa Louisa Nadia (Nadja) Malacrida (née Green), 1895-1934


You can hear Lucy talking about Nadja and reading some of her poems on our radio show on 103.2 Preston FM back in November 2014  HERE