Mary Travers died today - icon of folk singing, long hair, big voice, passionate performer. I feel my own mortality as the great ones a half generation older begin to die off from natural causes, not drug over doses, plane crashes, suicide. They just die, as we all will. About Mary, I feel thankful that she shone her light and sang her song as she did so many years. I always loved the song "If I had a Hammer...if I had a song to sing, I'd sing it on the mountain...I'd sing a song of freedom all over this land." Well she did have a song to sing and she sang it. May I do the same, sing my song (not literally you don't have to cover your ears) with power and grace for as many days as I am given.
Notions of heaven are highly personal. I wrote a short poem last week about one version, which fits when I think about Mary Travers and Ted Kennedy.
Heaven
To be remembered as refuge,
To continue to guide, nurture,
love, teach, comfort, sustain
After body dies. Heaven.Victoria Hendricks, September 15, 2009
2 comments:
I am very sad about Mary Travers dying too. I absolutely loved Peter, Paul, and Mary; and I had an opportunity to see them in Milwaukee perhaps six years ago, when Mary had already been afflicted with leukemia. She still had such energy, such voice. At one time when her voice faltered, one of the men picked up what she should have been singing, and they just went on......
What a gift Mary was given, and used. May we all use our gifts as she did.
What a fantastic poem!! As Mary said, may we all allow what gifts we have to be used..
Love, Joe
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