Today June 17th is our grandson Jude's birthday but when we got the call that he was born in Australia (they are a day ahead of us) it was the 16th of June in the U.S. June 16th is "Bloomsday". Bloomsday is a commemoration and celebration of the life of Irish writer James Joyce, observed annually in Dublin and elsewhere on 16 June, the day his 1922 novel Ulysses takes place in 1904, the date of his first outing with his wife-to-be, Nora Barnacle, and named after its protagonist Leopold Bloom. This was particularly important to our friend John Stevens a retired English Literature teacher who along with his late wife Linda hosted an annual "Bloomsday party". These fabulous parties were for years what Mike and I looked forward to. When Athena became an English literature major in college she and John formed a bond especially because of her love for James Joyce like John. When she was in Ireland in 2016 she attended a "Bloomsday"event in Dublin and bought John a special gift which we delivered to him on one of our many dinners together. When Athena was expecting Jude, John said "I hope he's born on Bloomsday June 16th. When Jude was born it was the 17th but as I said before when we got the news of his birth it was still the 16th of June here in the U.S. John was overjoyed and said "She did it! Athena had the baby on Bloomsday!. We had to give him that even if it was a bit of a stretch across time zones. On May 17 this year our dear friend John suddenly passed away. We grieve his passing beyond words. We miss our dinners, lunches, chats and emails with him. We miss even the covid days when we'd sit 6 feet away in his front yard masked just to visit with him. So last night while we celebrated Jude's first birthday Athena had suggested we take a moment to celebrate our time with John. She read a special poem she had picked out to honor his life. Here is that poem. RIP John Stevens we miss you terribly but know you are in heaven in the arms of your beloved Linda now.
John in a James Joyce pose
John with a gift from Ireland that Athena sent
A wonderful couple John and Linda Stevens
We went on many outings together. Here we are at the Long Beach Museum of Art
The early days. Two high school teachers fell in love.
Linda was an art teacher. Here is a wood block print of James Joyce.
Linda's painting of John
Lovely Linda we will never forget you.
Dear John, your dry wit and your rich mind engaged us always in thoughtful conversation. We miss your presence in our lives.
"Love's Old Sweet Song"
Once in the dear dead days beyond recall,
When on the world the mists began to fall.
Out of the dreams that rose in happy throng
Low to our hearts Love sang an old sweet song;
And in the dusk where fell the firelight gleam,
Softly it wove itself into our dream.
Just a song a twilight, when the lights are low,
And the flick'ring shadows softly come and go,
Tho' the heart be weary, sad the day and long.
Still to us at twilight comes Love's old song
comes Love's old sweet song.
Even today we hear Love's song of yore
Deep in our heart's it dwells forevermore.
Footsteps may falter, weary grow the way,
Still we can hear it at the close of day.
So till the end, when life's dim shadows fall
Love will be found the sweetest song of all.
Just a song, a twilight , when the lights are low,
and the flick'ring shadows softly come and go
tho the heart be weary, sad the day and long
Still to us at twilight comes Loves old song,
comes Loves old sweet song.
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