Monday, February 22

We will break in the sun till the sun breaks down ...

Today I was going to post an entry for willow's second Magpie Tales visual prompt, this box of matches to the left, to share with you an eerie tale of an old flame set off by that match long ago ...

... but for now it has been preempted by the news we received earlier today that Barry Fraser's mother passed away last night, less than one week shy of her 91st birthday, mercifully, while in the sweet rest of sleep.

Just a few days ago, many of us were clanging bells to chime out our best wishes for Barry as he celebrated the end of his chemotherapy sessions. So for now I'll help myself to one of willow's matches to light a candle in Rosanna's memory ...

Photo by Umberto Verdoliva from Onexposure

And as is so often the case, when words fail me, I turn to Dylan Thomas. Again and again, I return to Dylan Thomas.

Click on play to hear the poet himself recite And Death Shall Have No Dominion ...




And death shall have no dominion.
Dead men naked they shall be one
With the man in the wind and the west moon;
When their bones are picked clean and the clean bones gone,
They shall have stars at elbow and foot;
Though they go mad they shall be sane,
Though they sink through the sea they shall rise again;
Though lovers be lost love shall not;
And death shall have no dominion.

And death shall have no dominion.
Under the windings of the sea
They lying long shall not die windily;
Twisting on racks when sinews give way,
Strapped to a wheel, yet they shall not break;
Faith in their hands shall snap in two,
And the unicorn evils run them through;
Split all ends up they shan’t crack;
And death shall have no dominion.

And death shall have no dominion.
No more may gulls cry at their ears
Or waves break loud on the seashores;
Where blew a flower may a flower no more
Lift its head to the blows of the rain;
Though they be mad and dead as nails,
Heads of the characters hammer through daisies;
Break in the sun till the sun breaks down,
And death shall have no dominion.

Rest in peace, Rosanna, and be well Barry. See Barry's blog for his loving and lovely tribute.


And by all means, click here to see what other magpie scavengers have ignited with that lone spent match ...

13 comments:

  1. What sad news to hear after the good wishes and energy going out to Barry last week. Every day brings something new, be it good or bad. Time to light a candle and ring a bell for this loss.

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  2. Beautiful tribute to Rosanna. May she rest in peace.

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  3. You, sir, are as empathic as I am apathetic. Perhaps that's one reason I like coming here.

    Kudos to you.

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  4. you are a beautiful soul...it was sad news to see on barry's site. may she be at peace...

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  5. Oh, what a lovely tribute. So sad. Very poignant post.

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  6. Loved hearing Dylan Thomas ~ somehow I have never heard his voice.

    My first time here ~ glad I found you.

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  7. http://adivashammer.com/archives/1124/comment-page-1#comment-8521


    a tribute of note...your compilation resonates from the heart.

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  8. Neither have I ever heard the voice of Dylan Thomas. I have read his poetry many times. Our son so loves him he named his son Dylan Thomas. How thoughtful of you to shift your prompt for such a great tribute. Very compassionate. So glad I popped over.
    QMM

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  9. Gratifying to get kind comments from my "old" friends. I see Barry has a new post as he and his brothers go about the sad logistics of funeral arrangements, all while recovering from the chemo. I know you all stop by his blog regularly to give him support.

    And nice to meet you Everyday Goddess, Jessie, The Muse and QMMM. Welcome to the blog. I'll be making the rounds. There was more Dylan Thomas, read by Anthony Hopkins, a couple of posts ago ...

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  10. Lorenzo:

    As I am making my rounds reading everyone's post to the Magpie #2

    I love yours the best-- lighting a candle a very compassionate thing to do- "death shall have no dominion." I still remember that line it seems it is imprinted in the recesses of my mind from years past when I first read it.

    Best,
    Joanny

    I love Dylan Thomas, and that poem

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  11. Thank you Lorenzo. This was a very thoughtful thing for you to do. I am touched and blessed.

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  12. Hello, Barry. I enjoyed the walk with Lindsay on your blog today and urge all my blog friends to tag along as well.

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