79-year-old care home resident published long awaited poetry book

79-year-old resident at Oak Lodge Bupa Care Home Rosemary Parrott has published her fourth book of poems and paintings this June.

The book, entitled Ships Passing, was near completion in 2018, but due to ill health and the passing of her husband, Rosemary had to put her creative project on hold. She was diagnosed with a brain tumour in 2023, so didn’t plan to finish the book.

However, with the support of the palliative care team at Oak Lodge and her daughter-in-law to oversee the artwork, Rosemary has now finished her book and it was published by Magic Flute Publications on 4th June.

To celebrate, the Oak Lodge team bought her flowers and gathered in Rosemary’s room with a glass of non-alcoholic red wine to congratulate her.

Rosemary said: “After so many ups and downs, I can’t really believe it has happened.”

Rosemary’s love of poetry was fuelled by her A-Level English course at Guernsey Ladies’ College, when she was introduced to The Six Sonnets by Gerard Manley Hopkins. She says it was Hopkins’ innovative use of ‘sprung rhythm’ that has been a life-long influence on her own writing style.

She began composing poetry at the age of 49, when she attended a writers’ retreat in Hampshire and these four poems gradually grew to form her first book, Sonata in the Key of Life, published in the year 2000. Lanterns in Wet Leaves followed in 2012, the same year in which she graduated at with an MA in her specialist field of Congregational Music, together with a second edition of her book Sonata. Her third book, Like an Ever Rolling Stream, was published in 2016 just before her 67th birthday.

Rosemary created all the paintings for her books over 10 years ago after a painting-themed cruise, each one taking her two or more days to complete. However, as her illness causes shaking in her hands, she switched to sketches with pencils in order to complete the illustrations.

Corin, Home Manager at Oak Lodge Bupa Care Home, said: “A wonderful, talented and humble lady! All poems and drawings are by Rosemary and the drawings were based on photos she brought with her from past holidays on cruise ships. It was lovely to be able to see her writing and drawing as she worked on this offering, and a particularly poignant moment when she mentioned that it is probably going to be her last book due to her diagnosis, but as we said to her, never say never! Rosemary is a great example of following your passion and purpose, no matter the barriers and obstacles life puts in your way.”

Rosemary’s new book can be purchased here: https://www.thegreatbritishbookshop.co.uk/products/ships-passing?srsltid=AfmBOordT5WZx4xXUx1pKR_UkY0u_AH6FVQB8oZ20lwWukkNoYmz5Mpy

Oak Lodge Bupa Care Home is situated in Southampton and welcomes residents in need of dementia nursing or residential care. For further information, please visit https://www.bupa.co.uk/care-services