Poor little bantling, without a Father's name!
Always to know his wretched Mother's shame!
A bastard! What a cruel word! And what an innocent child!
By the actions of others, evermore defiled!
Today we tend to overlook the torments of the past,
The youthful mothers castigated, spat-on and out-cast.
And we forget that, often, they were 'thrown out in the snow'
To wander along the highway, with nowhere else to go.
It's not a joke of melodrama, the fate of girls back then;
It happened in an unfair world, dominated by men.
Servant girls were often 'used' and then were cast away,
Their masters just forgetting them in less than half a day.
As for the little bantling, it was evermore derided
As someone less than human, to be sneered at, to be chided.
*
Yet 'bantling' is a gentle word, unlike its counterpart;
'Bastard' is much crueler; it could strike one to the heart.
'Bantling' comes from the German; it means 'bench', a sort of seat,
On which a person can relax to rest their weary feet.
Well, it doesn't come from any old bench.....I swear that this is true!
Well, it doesn't come from any old bench.....I swear that this is true!
It means a bench ....wait for it..... capable of holding two!
*
A little bit of history, with some nudge and wink thrown in!
Who knows where memes will lead us..... often into sin!'
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WOOD, TURNING
The memory of a tree transformed,
Circled, burnished , the rings highlighted.
Does it dream of the dank, dark woods?
*
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PS
My longtime friend, Margaret from New York, has asked me what I give Mike for breakfast! I mentioned I was 'having breakfast in the garden with Mike' and I suppose that sounded rather grand! Here is the menu.... some Weatbix , toast and marmalade and tea! Nothing cordon bleu in this house. Anyway, here we are eating the said breakfast! My odd expression is due to a mouthful of muesli!
*
9 comments:
Hey, maybe I could get away with calling the few people I have in mind, a bantling!!! Ah, blogging as the road to sin, huh??? Could be! Fun post as always! Oh! and it looks like a fun breakfast to me!
Sylvia
ABC Team
Perfect place for breakfast (or anything). Bantling does sound better, doesn't it? Nice post.
What a touching painting, full of emotions and meaning. And the story ~ so sad. This was a most excellent post for the letter B.
never heard the term bantling, but I've always hated the term bastard, as tho the child had any control of the situation.
ROG, ABC Wednesday team
Interesting information.. lovely people...
ABC Wed Here
Like the Bantling post a new word for me today.
A Bantling Born out of love
Brave Baby, like a rock dove
Has to endure push and shove
Births all equal in eyes above
Fortunately that doesn't exist anymore ! Very nice interpretatin of "B" !
Gattina
ABC team
Fascinating and quite sad. Well done post for a word I hadn't hear before. I like Nanka's poem back to you.
Breakfast in the garden works for me, whatever it is.
Very interesting, Brenda, and a new word for me, too. There are still some people who scorn babies born on "the other side of the blanket" but I'm glad most of us are tolerant today.
I really like your garden, and the menu doesn't matter. Tea for two would be nice for me.
-- K
Kay, Alberta, Canada
An Unfittie's Guide to Adventurous Travel
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