Percival Smoot
Debora Norton

Richard Percival Smoot of Callie-Callaleigh
searches for crystals and seashells down by the bay.
I am told that he cannot hear very well, but
he enjoys the breeze and the smells of the day.

And while Richard Percival Smoot is down by the bay,
his sister, dear Margaret, sorts shells day by day.
Although she cannot see very well, she
can feel their texture and shapes quite well.

Her name is Margaret Smoot De Molay,
and is married to a man who works by the bay.
He works all day long and sometimes into the night,
Christian James De Molay makes bells that ring right.
Bells of all sizes, bells of all kinds, ones that are glass,
And some that twinkle like chimes.

They have two young children who play by the shore.
Lucy and young Richard who never, ever get bored.
Lucille Margaret De Molay likes singing and dancing.
Richard James De Molay floats boats made of planking.
They play half the day long if their studies are done,
Then run home when the bell rings, calling, “Grandmother, what fun!”
With their mother, dear Margaret, and old Uncle Smoot,
they sit down to lunch made by Grandmother Smoot.

Abigail Hopkins Smoot had long hair as a girl.
“How long ago was that?” asks Lucille De Molay.
Abbey winks and says, “Oh, nearly one hundred years to this day!
One hundred years on the earth, enjoying the sun and the breeze.
I used to put my red hair up in a tease.”

“But I miss my dear husband, so tall, just like you,
Captain Daniel James Smoot born in ’72…”
They listen to her stories as they eat her good food.
“Shall we take lunch to Father?” asks little Richard James,
trying hard to be taller like Grandfather Smoot.
Skipping and chatting, they set off down the hill to the bay,
to surprise the bell-maker with his lunch for the day.

With a glance through a window, Christian James
can see his children coming, so he puts down his work.
“What delights did you bring me?” he calls. “How’s Grandmother Smoot?”
“She’s fine today, father, we’ve got chowder for you.”
They chat with their father, then he tells them to scoot.
“I have work to do now, so off with you two.”
“Let’s go fly my kite,” says Richard James to his sister.
“No, I want to find treasures with old Uncle Smoot!”

Richard Percival Smoot of Callie-Callaleigh
smiles when he sees them and waves them along.
The three of them look for treasures all the day long.
Although he cannot hear the bellmaker’s toll,
the children can, so they tell him, “It’s time to go!”
“Oh my, my, my, my, where did the day go?”

The Smoots and the family of Christian James De Molay
live in a wonderful place named Callie-Callaleigh.
And although they have treasure, I am sure they would say,
their lives are just simple, honest, and true, full of stories,
lots of love and good, home-cooked food.