Sad News - Poppie

Michelle [Celtic Flame] just posted this on her Facebook page. "Pauline [Poppie] peacefully but accidentally died in her bed friday night early in the morning."

Poppie was a very active member here at BWS for many years, and brought immeasurable kindness, compassion and nurturing to so many here, including me. I still have a poem of hers hanging on the wall beside my computer.

Those of us who knew Poppie are devastated and saddened by this news. Ann [Anno] has visited Poppie and considered Poppie her "adopted Irish daughter" and is devastated beyond words. We can also offer prayers for Michelle and her son Lucien.

We love you Poppie.

I am so saddened by this news. Poppie was such a talented human being. My heart goes out to Michelle and Lucien. What a great loss this is! RIP Pauline.

This is what she wrote to me when I was going through such a difficult time years ago. It still hangs on my wall:

Triumph and Resurrection

"Beyond the divine...someone else saw me...
showed me the blessings I already possess..
Held me tenaciously 'till I could see for myself
the wholesomeness of becoming whole...
and I am a big ball of learning since.

My heart expands to greet life anew each day with appreciation
My mind opens like a well loved biography...
and I get to grow
My soul is in the safe hands
of thee most wondrous caretaker...
nudging me gently forward into living and loving
as far as is humanly possible."
(by Popea)

Thank you Poppie, maybe now you know how much your presence and your words have always meant to me, and how this particular gift of your heart became a warm and comforting light in my own darkness. Be at peace, Pauline.

I am very saddened by this news. Prayers to Celtic Flame!

Goodbye Dearest, sweetest Poppie,
You touched my life in so many way, you lifted me up when I was sad, made me laugh until I cried, shared moments of sincere concern and love. I will miss you dear friend...may God's love carress you in heaven and His light hold you ever high...shining like a beacon for those who have to now live without you. All my love,
Dee

This news is absolutely devestating..
I am so enriched by knowing Pauline and always hoped she would walk up my path.she said she would
hearing her voice on the telephone brought me joy..her talent in her creative art and poetry were top notch.

love to her much loved Celtic and Lucien

"Even as the sun goes down to end the light of day,
it's rising on a new horizon somewhere far away.
And though our world seems darker
for the loss of one we miss,
our loved one's life is dawning in a brighter world than this."

"Do not stand at my grave and weep,
I am not there, I do not sleep.
I am in a thousand winds that blow,
I am the softly falling snow.
I am the gentle showers of rain,
I am the fields of ripening grain.
I am in the morning hush,
I am in the graceful rush
Of beautiful birds in circling flight,
I am the starshine of the night.
I am in the flowers that bloom,
I am in a quiet room.
I am in the birds that sing,
I am in each lovely thing.
Do not stand at my grave and cry,
I am not there. I do not die."
- Mary Elizabeth Frye.

Yonuh what a beautiful beautiful poem.

As we all write our messages, I feel dear Poppie's prescence. We were all so connected, which shows the spirit is stronger than the physical presence. I truly believe Poppie's spirit is still among us, and that she knows how much she was loved from friends from all over the world.

Ann's connection to Poppie and Michelle was sensational, and it was an unforgetable experience to witness you three tying family knots.

God bless you, Poppie. You are at peace now. And God protect your grieving soul, dear Michelle.

My heart is so saddened to learn of this precious woman passing. She touched so many of us through her kindness, love, art, compassion. My prayers for her family. I know that Poppie is already at peace and watching from above. My dear friend, God Blessings to you.

Michelle and Lucien my prayers are winging their way to you. Such a hard time for you. Know that you are in all of our prayers and thoughts always. My heart is heavy for you dear one. Blessings and prayers and love.

I haven't been around in ages, but I couldn't let Poppies passing go by without witnessing it here. This is where I met Poppie first.

When Poppie first arrived here, she was a young, naive and searching for a way to further her exploration in the design of silver. She grew up before our very eyes.

A few years ago, when everyone around here was in bragging mode about grandkids, Poppie offered to let me adopt Lucien as my own. Michelle came on board with it, and we went from there.

I met Poppie first in London, where she was finally going to school. We met a few more times, and finally, last summer, I was priviledged to meet both Michelle and Lucein. Dennis and I spent the day with the 3 of them in Dublin, exploring anything and everything.

I feel great sorrow for Michelle and Lucien. They will miss Poppie so much. My heart is pouring out to them.

I will miss Poppie - one of the nicest gals I have ever met. She had a heart the size of Texas. She will always be in my heart.

Oh my God Anno how terrible. She was so very young. Do you know what took her from us? I can hardly believe this.

I'm so shocked, celtic. She was artistically gifted and had so much to offer.

Poppie was beautiful and I love yonuh's poem about not being
dead but melting into and existing in the environment! Don't
stand by my grave and weep. The posts here a very helpful not only as we grieve for Poppie but for others we've recently lost
as well. Prayers and blessings to Celtic Flame, her kinfolk and friends!

Mountain Ash,
I just reread your poem and it's lovely, too. Death is a difficult adjustment for those left behind. And I don't care
what age a person is, the void seems bigger than the Grand
Canyon. It's great we have one another to help with some sort of healing process.

I haven't been around for ages either but I wanted to honor Poppie here and have such fond memories of her. Always there to help with a positive thought. I remember viewing their wedding pictures and how happy they were.

This is such a huge loss and so tragic. My heart and prayers go out to her loved ones.

Sail on, Poppie.

I really didn't have much opportunity to get to know Poppie, but I add my voice to those who mourn her loss.

Blessings to Michelle and Lucien and all the other loved ones she leaves behind.

When I saw this on Facebook yesterday, I was stunned. I cry every time I think of her.

From the first time Poppie posted here, I felt a connection to a kindred spirit. She was a many-talented woman so full of love and life. I wish we had met in person.

My love to Celtic, Robert and Lucien in this difficult time.

Dearest all

Celt contacted me today with an update which I have forwarded to Anno for posting on FB on Celt's behalf. I now do the same here for those who are not on FB:

Michelle is with Poppie's family in Dunganon where they are currently holding a wake to be followed by a move to Michelle's on Wednesday. The funeral is the following day, Thursday and cremation is to take place at 1:30 P.M.

Please pray for Michelle as I understand that she is not well and having health problems with an already broken heart.

I shall post further updates as and when I receive them.

God bless.

Thanks for the update, Lola!

Will keep Michelle in our prayers. I recall how devastated my kids were when their father died. It is never easy to lose a parent, but losing one when you are young is terribly hard.

Oh Lola, I'm so glad you are in contact with Michelle. I can't imagine how horrible this all is for her, especially if she is feeling ill herself. Hopefully she has help to take care of Lucien.

Please do keep us posted, and tell her how much she is in our heart and prayers.

Meredith, I sensed that connection between you two talented jewlers. Sending you a hug too.

You're an angel for thinking of us Lola, thanks so much!!!

Thanks ladies for all your kind words for poppie, and myself and her two sons robert and lucien. I know you shared many of our daly troubles and joys for the last 4 or 5 years. Poppie this was a place she descovered becouse of her health problems at the time but quickly worked out that you didn't need her health problem to joine so thus allowed me to joine after poppie perswased me it be good and ok.

we both got to make many frends around the globe some we meet heer some in london, lola was a dear frend to poppie during her studies in london and when id visite a good frend to me aswell.

poppie had enough of her studies that we were in the process of seatling to weer we had to live next and to start her new bussness and a matter of weer to live best for lucien and also good for busness to be developed.

many women heer touched poppies hart and often we descuss our american and canadian frends many times when we were not just typing away too you all. Most of all anno adopting Lucien then adopting poppie as her adoptive mum from the states. She dearly enjoyed meeting anno and was sorrowfull if they were close and she could't meet them, like few mounths back for example. Poppie often be touched by many of the women heer mountain ash and eagle always had poems words of encouragement and a special softness for po and we all know she loved and needed that soft supporting love. for many years this was offered and recived by her and she emensly enjoyed that. I do hope many of her family not familure with this place get to know how much she was loved around the globe and of the runn up to the wedding and the exitment for that time " it was all about the dress" lol. Praying and knowing you all pray for whomever of her family and frends needed it when they were sick or worried or just hit a bumpy section to thir lives heer.

thanks on behalf of po for support through all the great days and all her sad days.

apart from those special times there was much to share daly untill live became too heactic.

At the end of po's life thir was some real happiness and exitment about new bussnesses becouse she had enough of studies to do so with real confidences in herself.

Po's very last day was an unusully happy and forwared looking one. i think one part of her soul knew what was going to happen later that day, together our day was very special.

about 10 years ago if you rember she suffored a brain bleed out...cousing an operation which saved her life. Unfortunitly the migranes returned and perhapps it was this problems reocurance that was to end poppies life. I found her on bed halfway through her nightly routine, watching tv. when i had finished my day, i went upstares with food and two decafinated cofes but sadly po has sudenly passed away. I though she fell asleep in an awkwared position. Hence noticing she was lying wrong, unfortunitly she had just passed and the ambulance men arrived to help but confirme she had indeed passed.

Robert is 24 and deeply saddended. Lucien is 6.5 and is still trying to hope, whish her back or ask the faries to bring her back. he's looking upon poppie and at times it seems its sinking in and other times he's lossing the concept becouse now thinks we can hold her in her home in belfast for some time to come. Unfortunittly for him and us all the cremitorium is today 1.30 afternoon our time, plse pray for poppie then and for the boys but especially for Lucien that he relises his love for his mum will go on but sadly she can not return.

he knows paulines spirite and soul is with god and what we have been doing now is getting poppies physical body ready to return to god also Hence the mass and wakes. this is our chance to say goodbye before we give poppies body to god. plse pray for all involved but a special one for lucien that he understands his mum is safe and his other mum is with god and he finds some peace eventualoly with this.

pauline heer in this room with me we have 3 hours before the undertakers arrive. the last all night wake and prayer vigiul is/was mine she was honered by many yesterday and last night

thanks for this thread and honerring poppies life this way. it good remberring the special times she spend heer and how much you all touched her hart.

after the cremitorium i am not sure what happens in life apart from we will all try to love our way around this time in our lifes and i belive it can be done and i am guiding Lucien as much and as carefully as i can. I also heer for robert for as much as he needs me. He is engaged and his new baby doughter was 7 weeks old yesterday. pauline felt great pride at this knowlage but considered herself a youn grannie at 42.

once again thanks for all this thread and everything you have done for poppie through many of her last years and trial and her joys. She missed dotsie very much but life was allways bussie and getting bussier.

plse escouse the duslecix spelling as usule.

many thanks and great love to you all

michelle xx

Not covering up your tribute post Celtic..may I send this poem for Poppie.
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Others have gathered together
Shared words tears and tea
Hugged each other held close
Her kin and her loved ones

But we who also care
Are scattered
In random places
Like poppies in the wind

A blood red petal here
In my Scottish homeland
Others fall oceans away
Paper thin soon to fade

Pepper pot seeds will scatter
Lie awhile then flourish
Rise again and face the sun
Nodding at noon closed at sunset

For poppies are for memory
Flitting in and out of thinking
So when I see a flash of red
A silver bauble.. hear an Irish voice

Through all my time here
I will hold Poppie …for a moment

Celtic, thanks so much for stopping in on what I know is a very difficult day.

Mountain Ash, your poem moved me.

Celtic, I'm holding you close in my thoughts. I am mourning my mom's passing. It's just 3 weeks since she's gone. So I know my dear friend how heavy your heart must feel. What truly helps me is to know and believe that our loved ones are in a better place, without pain, worries, or sorrow. They feel a true gentle happiness, unlike anything we could ever feel in our life time. This thought comforts me, and I hope will comfort you as well.

Mountain Ash, I love your poem. I read it several times. How perfect to compare Pauline to beautiful red Poppies. I bet she would have loved that too.

I'm holding all of you, Celtic (and Lucien), Angelika and Orchid in my heart and thoughts. I agree with you, Angelika, there is comfort in having a faith that believes that this isn't the end and that our loved ones are happy, and still with us in spirit and love. I also believe that wherever they are now, they know all that they didn't know while here on earth, and are rooting us on to OUR best and happiest selves while we're still here. I know it's hard to grasp when we're in the midst of such agony and grief, but it's something I've been experiencing over and over and over again with each loss, that they really do want us to thrive and be well and happy...to live abundant lives.

MA, your poem brings tears to my eyes. I too love the relating of beautiful red poppies to our beautiful Poppie. Red poppies will forever bring Pauline to heart and mind now.

"For poppies are for memory
Flitting in and out of thinking
So when I see a flash of red
A silver bauble..hear an Irish voice

Through all my time here
I will hold Poppie..for a moment" MountainAsh

Celtic, I didn´t know Poppie intimately..but she brought light and laughter to my life when she sometimes commented on my posts here..mostly about music or maybe supporting/encouraging me in some way..she had youth and zest.. and I will miss her.

The news of her death..which reached me last Sunday evening..stopped me in my tracks completely. I was good for nothing the rest of that evening and the next day..

Thank you, MountainAsh, for being there so that I could write to you and try to understand..

Thank you, Celtic for stopping by here to write about what happened and also telling us a bit about her life of late.

My thoughts and love go out to all of you..I am so sorry..and so sad..but when I think of Poppie herself, I smile..because that is what she brought to me when we connected here and on facebook now and again..

Love, Humlan

Celt, I am deeply grateful for your post because even in time of bereavement, you thought of us. There is much to convey in return for the great respect and goodwill shown over the friendships made here.



This is how I will always remember Poppie. For those who have not had the opportunity to meet her, Po is exactly as you see in the photo whenever we met. Happy. And, the two of us were, in Po’s words, “mad as a box of frogs” whenever and wherever we were together.

Poppie and I arranged to meet in person for the very first time at Liverpool Street Station when she travelled to London from Belfast for an interview at the university she was to attend. The immediate aftermath of the interview called for a pint of Guinness with others who had similar results. When she finally made it to LSS, we celebrated in what was drab in comparison because we had tricolore salad instead before she boarded the train which took her to the airport and headed off to Belfast.

A few months thereafter, Poppie returned to London to start her course and settled into student’s accommodation. Our long conversations on the phone from Belfast to London and vice versa, was now replaced by East London to Greenwich, and vice versa. The duration of our evening phone calls depended entirely on the battery life of Poppie’s mobile phone. Simply put, it finished when it ran low bat. We talked at great length over serious matters as well as those which are worldly. Nothing under the sun was barred. A reflection perhaps of the sense of comfort we both found within a friendship nurtured. We shared the same sense of humour being that we were both Monty Python fans, a tad with music taste and discovered that we were similar in many ways with past concocted mischief as cradle Catholic schoolgirls educated by Irish nuns. “Aye, a chara. Mad as a box of frogs were we.” Po would say with a laugh. We’d disagree, too. A few of those which were of a superficial note was that I was not too crazy over Mary Coughlan and she was not over Tina Turner. While I am not averse to a Big Mac, Po detested them and moaned and whinged for Ireland against MacD. We’d overdose on caffeine instead. And over the course of many cups of coffee, by a vote of an overwhelming majority of two, we had approved of red Converse and settled global ills. Then we'd make our way to the tube station on cold winter days with her bare hand tucked under my armpit for warmth. We always giggled that she always seem to misplace a glove whenever we met. As London had become Poppie’s second home because of uni, the opportunity to meet on a few more occasions presented itself. Po and I attended Mass, as well as visited Westminster Cathedral together. In 2008, we had the pleasure of visiting the Cathedral with Anno and Dennis.

As Anno stated, Poppie had a big heart. But, more importantly, when people come and go, only a few leave footprints in the heart. Poppie did. I will always miss Po. But in her own words, she now sleeps soft.

Celt, in the way I nurtured my friendship with Po, I continue to nurture yours and carry you and Lucien in thoughts and prayers, as I do Bert and all those Poppie held close to her heart. But most importantly Celt, I would wish the sadness away if I could.

I just saw this, and I'm so sorry! I totally enjoyed Po and Celtic's post on this forum; I loved deciphering their lovely way of expressing themselves. I remember when they posted their wedding photos as well; such happy times.

Celtic, I wanted to meet you both when I was in Ireland two years ago, and it just didn't work out with your schedule and mine. My arms are wrapping around you now with a giant hug and lots of love for you and Lucien.

Lola, I had no idea you and Po had grown so close. I remember the photos of Po's jewelry and artwork. Such a wonderfully talented woman. Those meetings and conversations were so special to you and I pray you'll always keep those happy memories close to your heart.

My love and support to all who miss Po.

My feeling of grief are just not shifting..Lola you recreated shared moments and I bless you for taking care of Poppie in your adopted city.
Yes
some people add so much to our lives..I discussed my genealogy with Po. her folks live near my Irish roots..so somewhere in the long ago one of mine and one of hers may have had a contract..that being... that she came into my life full of talent
and hopes.That she took time to speak to me in our Celtic way..
and cared when I was hurting

Po and Celtic called me once. We connected immediately over the phone. We laughed, and laughed some more, just because we laughed.
Celtic, dear, a good friend gave me a book with wise quotes on memories and how to deal with the passing of a loved one. The following quote I find comforting, because it takes the feeling of finality away.

Although a ship disappears behind the horizon, it still continues its journey, to give to others, who joyously await its arrival.

Know that you are sooo in my thoughts. Take time to breathe through, and sort out your own thoughts and plans.

what a lovely image, Edelweiss! I love that quote, very comforting and memorable.

Lovely words edelweiss and perfect for this moment in time.

I'm sorry to be late in expressing sadness for Po's passing and the grief endured by Celtic, Lucien, and Poppie's friends, virtual and otherwise. I happened upon the news on Facebook, but that's not where we met. It was here. Very sad.

thanks frends for all your warmth love and words.

i re-read that thread as i rembered it was here and as much as i did read it, obviously so much was going in but not sticking in thought. I am reaconing its gonna be like this untill its not lol.

i got a shock when i read my post and last id written that po was 3 or 4 feet away from me and its was the earliest of mornings on one of the sadest of times, but it did make me look around too were she had been on that day i writen that post, what a strange feeling.

one of the nicsest of things apart from knowing all you's l;adies is a wee though i just had. i had it once before when i was going to blog letters for lucien so he could read it when he was older and know of himself in one of the safest diearies or scrapbook, well being on the net for ever.

i just been thinking if all thos pics and thoughs are thir then the energy and intent in how they were written are also thir. that being said then po's amounst her words in her own posts and within her pictures. thers reams of posts heer and i am sure some will be very sad but some will bring a nice comphort when i re read them.

thers poems of expresion of poetry, of arguing the bit out becouse she could (no malace intended) just had to get her point across. the intreactions and jokes that we had between us. the wedding the run up too it and poppies way of expresing things, mines being more garded happier to share my mind than my emotions and poppie being the opposite happier to share her emotions than her mind.

lola
you painted such a lovely pic of po, and brough her to life with many7 of the small ways about her, with the one glove missing in action, could she also never find her keys becouse theyd be in one of her pockets but not knowen weer, that pic you posted is one i like becouse she cough unawares. perhapps not one of her most perfect butifull pics but a great one becouse of its big honest unknowing shes observed smile. so often we don't look like ourselfs in pic but in that one she dose look just like her.
westminster being the first chapel lucien was in and how she took him around it. the holy rosiery church up the road being the place of refuge for po and candle lighting for lucien. when she was in hospital we had it up to 5 candles he had to light for the people he needed to light them for. I put my foot dowen at 5 becouse 20p a candle makes a pound, and a pound a day is enough for me.

I not gonna tell the storie about falling asleep last week becouse i had a prayer and a rest and one of my best sleeps in ages untill the nun woke me lol, i have't been back so i do not know if they do think i was homeless and shelterring from the snow. but i did need thir sleep.
someweer in heer is loads of po's poetry and one i found already by accident, a butifull poem about ballycastle beach and the pic i took of po on the rock with the silver of the moon on a cold frostie clear blued sky.
funny thing is its too her late twentie or early 30's i see her in my mind now, she was only 41 when she diead but something from so long ago had changed a bit back at 28 or 29 their was more softness, in fact it might even be as youn as 24 i see her now as thinking about the hair. ten years and the best of frends for better want of a better word partners (i am unsure partners in crime) but we knowen each other maybee 19 or 20 by now. i rember her from then as she dose I. its the haire and glimsies of real memories from that time. Its hard to tell as faciale she still looked 24 even when she was 30 something lol. just the lenth of the hair changed.

i know one of you ladies trakend me dowen after they heared i had shingles and told me my post sound very light and perhapps i was not that upset but now they know i was upset. The truth is i am upset and still trying to get use to life as it is and how it will be. I do feel sorry for myseolf as this christmass was ment to be very diffrent and one reconnecting without the presure or worrie of eassys or going home. i am cross that i have to spend the little i saved on her funeral than on bulding her workshop tools, how ironic is that!I am sadend that lucien misses her so much at a time he should't have to be missing her at all. He's very sic with a fever and has been for days. i think like i its just hitting in.

with death you know the persons gone and with our infrequnt partings its allways felt it be for 2 or 3 weeks, forever seems strange. what horrified me weas wonderring what if i lived for another 20 years or so and would i last that long becouse that seemed like too long too wate almost too long to get my mind grappling, then the next thought was but what if the 20 years that seemed too long for me at tis moment wase't long enough for lucien (if i go home in 20 years id be 62) and he be 27 would that be enough time for him with me heer and what a conflict.

the ironie is i got some hart trouble so the whole last lot of mounths was since my dad diead in march the day before her (po's)birthday from then untill now was about descoverring and diagnosing my owen hart problem which is nearly compleat and certinly thir putting in stints and hopefully that be enough and no more action needs be taken. anyway what if the 20 more years that seems too long ise't long enough for him, will it be fare to him to only stay that long and how would i feel leaving him alone at that age?? it was just a though but 20 years is half my age maybee a 1/3 of some of your ladies how quick it all seems once its gone and how long it takes looking ahead like a child dose wating to be 21.

So iv to fin many tresyre in thes forums that heer and i so glade we posted now as thir thir for me to read, the poems the chatts the runn up to the wedding and how strange but how gratfull i am that this is heer for me now, if not chatting so much then reading what had been created at diffrent times. apart from meeting you all and po meeting you all i am glade those words are here for me. tell your partners becouse they might not think to come heer looking for the essence of you when you are gone, (but do not talk about them while your heer lol)

last news on po's death is it turnes out she had a hart condision and something had made her hart grow larger than it should have been, which is funny since she allways had low blood pressure its expected of mine since mine was allways too fast with bloodpresure too high.
how symblolic are wee that po's mostly rembered for song and her emotione and one of those emotions is being her big hart, i don't know how many time i read it heer in this thread alone but its thir and you's all said it at one time or another.

anyway thanks is all i ment to come in and say as its comming closer to her one mounth anniversary....one day one week one mounth one year and 100 years are allways the toughest anniversarys don't ya think.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FhNrrrCCTdA&feature=related

love ya all michelle xxx