Excerpt from "Malmaison" by Mrs. W. H. Neill

Lately, I have been doing some more Carroll County family research and ran upon a copy of a poem, entitled "Malmaison." The poem was written by Mrs. W. H. Neill of Greenwood, Mississippi, and published in the local newspaper on April 12, 1942, not long after Greenwood Leflore's beautiful old mansion of the same name burned in Carroll County, Mississippi.  In the poem's entirely, the artistry of Mrs. Neill's words describe the feeling of loss and sadness experienced by other local Mississippians after the historical residence burned.  But in the excerpt below, the poet's words focus on the powerful enemy of all mankind, the force known as time.

But Time, relentless vandal, hastens onward in his flight,

And destroys with ruthless fingers, beauty, majesty and might.

Unless the strong oppose him, and with zeal his ravage mends,

And ever watchful of his craft, deter him in his ends.

- "Malmaison", by Mrs.W. H. Neill