Ray

Ray

Red winged black bird was his joyful call

For such wondrous flight brought to all

Birds perched and on wing they be

And call he must so each would see

Ray’s love of nature’s gift of bloom and bounty alike

Plants, flowers to fill garden and home with loving care and delight

Ray upon spirit wings shall ever fly

Graced shall be our memories written in the beauty of the sky.



Peace and Love

2011

Ray has been embraced by the calling of eternal life. He lives on in the hearts of all he has touched by his tender, caring and blessed love he so generously gave to family, friend and stranger.

Most lovingly,

Rose Marie Raccioppi

Four Calling Birds

On the 4th Day of Christmas my true love sent to me

Four calling birds
A calling ever ever heard
The voice of song so very sweet
Upon the wings of Spirit to greet
A call to peace, gratitude, faith and love
To this wondrous earth and heaven above
And to those in memory now cast
Love for days now past
To the hearts and souls of all that live
A calling to all for life's gift to give.

Blessings to All

Rose Marie Raccioppi
Poet Laureate
Orangetown, New York




Image: Courtesy of the World Wide Web no citation provided with post

Sleep Dear Child

Sleep dear child, this joyous day
Sleep this night, with stars above
Know the light, of God's love
Sleep dear child, you'll find the way
Sleep this night, the day is done
When you wake, you'll greet the sun
Wondrous night, this sky of blue
Brilliant stars, shining new
Rising sun, then night shall be
A new day for our hearts' glee
Gone this day, and come the dawn
You will find, a bright new morn.


Rose Marie Raccioppi
Poet Laureate
Orangetown, New York



Sleep Dear Child, Rose Marie Raccioppi, THE WIND AND THE WILLOW, Publish America, 2008.

Song of the Angels, William Adolph Bouguereau, 1825-1905, French, 1881.

The Adoration Of The Magi

A Child born and so known and told
Gifts of frankincense, myrrh and gold
Three Wise Men to distance far
Guided by heaven's shining star
A life of devotion, grace and praise
To fill the unfolding of His days
Let it be ever known, ever heard
Jesus, His life, His love, His Divine WORD.

A Blessed and Merry Christmas to All.


Rose Marie Raccioppi
Poet Laureate
Orangetown, New York



The Adoration Of The Magi, Corrado Giaquinto, Molfetta 1703 - Naples 1766.

•.¸☆¸.•

...days counting...

Gather we all for blessings, love and cheer
For that special Christmas Day is mighty near.

Much love to ALL,

♪♫•*¨*•.¸¸❤¸¸.•*¨*•♫♪


Do enjoy the spirited message Charlie Brown brings to all of us

A Charlie Brown Christmas (The Meaning of Christmas) - YouTube

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

Charlie Brown Christmas, Peanuts, Charles M. Schulz

This BE the Season of Light ~ Sun, Moon and Stars

wondrous light up on high
the sun in flight across the sky
wondrous orb to wax and wane
the beauty of night claims your name
the sun the moon such gifts of grace
your light and love in heart I place
and if a moment in darkness or despair
know I the Presence of light's embracing care
the light of stars upon my soul ever be
this be God's WORD decreed to me.


Rose Marie Raccioppi
Poet Laureate
Orangetown, New York

"All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not." John 1:3-5

Fresco of Christ creating the sun, moon and stars, St. Paraskevi Shrine, Greenlawn, NY, http://stparaskevi.org

Orangetown, Rich in History

Orangetown We Hail

A vision held within each heart
From which a righteous quest had its start
Freedom's plea with words defined
Orangetown Resolutions, July 4, 1774 were signed
The Declaration of Independence to follow its path
Man to be beyond oppression, domination and wrath
Major Andre, Benedict Arnold conspiracy and travail
Be it Truth and Justice ever to prevail
Washington-Carleton papers in 1783 signed and sealed
The heart and pulse of freedom in words revealed
And so declared a nation new to soar
A seventeen gun salute at Snedens shore
Snedens Landing in memorial be
A beacon holding fast Freedom's decree
Rich lands for labor and toil
Bounty and abundance from land and soil
Enterprise, invention, production to serve need and desire
Each vision alight with Freedom's flame and fire
And with freedom's defense and call anew
Be there World War II
From Camp Shanks soldiers to foreign shores they be
Hold they dear the protected right to live Free
Change during years past and present to prevail
Orangetown, Rich in History, we with heart hail.



Rose Marie Raccioppi
Poet Laureate
Orangetown, New York
2011


Photo: Courtesy of : www.tappantown.org


Video clip with Rose Marie Raccioppi presenting poem to the Orangetown Town Board
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Raccioppi Shares Introduction to Orangetown History - Pearl River, NY Patch
http://pearlriver.patch.com/articles/raccioppi-shares-introduction-to-orangetown-history

The Artist's Hand

Blessings of beauty and grace ever sweet
Upon canvas, vision and Creation meet
Strokes of color, form, and light cast
Of moments now, of moments past
Seized by passion and a knowing goal
Soaring be this calling, this calling of soul
Within there be a questing command
And so summoned is the Muse and the artist's hand.


Rose Marie Raccioppi
Poet Laureate
Orangetown, New York



Study of Hands, c. 1474, Leonardo Da Vinci, 1452 - 1519.

Lifetimes Unfold

Visions, shrouds, lifetimes unfold
Quest ever present, a story told
From torn and tattered threads of time
Woven new a swaddling divine
This silent call I am to heed
Revelation is Wisdom's way and creed
Cradled in TRUTH the muse is heard
Known is sweet slumber and known is God's WORD
Awakened by Spirit, Life's song to be sung
Each moment, each day, each lifetime begun
Memory of shadow, light ever cast
This melody of time now and past.

Rose Marie Raccioppi
Poet Laureate
Orangetown, New York


The Protection of Baby Zeus, Rhea and Cronus.

...tango...tango...tango ... haiku reflection

vistas of star birth
feel the pulsing of this night
tango be the mood.


Rose Marie Raccioppi
Poet Laureate
Orangetown, New York


Tango Mood, Image, ©Rose Marie Raccioppi, 2011.

Twilight Moment

twilight be this moment real
the path of light and dark as one
pulsing shadows in splendor cast
this the day's calling
a momentary interlude
a sigh
a breath
the grace of the day
the caress of the night.


Rose Marie Raccioppi
Poet Laureate
Orangetown, New York



Twilight, Image, ©Rose Marie Raccioppi, 2011.

Time Ever Beckoning

time ever beckoning
the season 's cycle
summer's end
the autumn calls
to the warmth of the winter sun
to the light of the cresting moon
the winds blow cold
ever changing light
upon bare branch and bough
all in honor of Spring's eternal vow.


Rose Marie Raccioppi
Poet Laureate
Orangetown, New York


Time Ever Beckoning, Photo, Collectible Clicks, ©Rose Marie Raccioppi, 2011.

Libation

the river flows to the ocean waters
cresting waves resound
quiet waters enfold
so be these tides of time
shores blessed in libation
and I bathed in the baptism of JOY.

Rose Marie Raccioppi
Poet Laureate
Orangetown, New York


It Was Blue and Green, 1960, Oil on canvas, Georgia O'Keeffe, 1887–1986,Whitney Museum of American Art, New York.

Alchemic Flow

flow...
watercolor
and the rivers of right intention
the oceans of opportunity
the streams of spirit
the seas of soul

flow...
the freedom
the love
the Omnipresence
the wondrous.


Rose Marie Raccioppi
Poet Laureate
Orangetown, New York


Alchemic Flow, Image, ©Rose Marie Raccioppi, 2011.

On Being A Woman

Holding to the Wonder

Aware of the Omnipresent

Feeling the Marvel

Living the Aspiration

Fulfilling Need

Words to define what it is to be a woman
Come from the special meaning of who we are
With grace we receive and provide the ultimate giving
With love we nurture
With question we pursue
With pain we give birth and revel in its miracle
With persistence we provide
We are blessed to be
The receiver and giver of life.


Rose Marie Raccioppi
Poet Laureate
Orangetown, New York


In Dedication to
Jill Cirricione




Reve de printemps - A Dream of Spring, William Bouguereau, 1825-1905, 1901.

On Being A Woman, Selected Poem, BARNES & NOBLE | The Wind and the Willow by Rose Marie Raccioppi, Publish America | Paperback, NOOK Book (eBook)
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/wind-and-the-willow-rose-marie-raccioppi/1100867043

Eyes Turned Skyward

Ascending ever changing sky and light
Wondrous by day, wondrous by night
Ever present waves of color crest and enfold
In awe be this celestial sea of soul.

Rose Marie Raccioppi
Poet Laureate
Orangetown, New York

For once you have tasted flight
you will walk the earth
with your eyes turned skywards,
for there you have been and there you long to return.

Leonardo da Vinci

Those same stars twinkle over other fields than these.

Walden, Chapter 11
by Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862)

Astronomy Picture of the Day, Rosette Nebula, http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap091202.html

A Guest Poet ~ Noble Beast by Patti Kelly

This is about the truth that sets us free
the truth that allows us to see all and beyond ourselves
the light that always penetrates the dark
that brings us love and protection
that enables us to heal and move forth.

Patti Kelly


The Beast of mine is Noble
the beast has been mislead

Innocent, the beast
whom created a lie so true
believed a wrong so right
whom fought a winless fight

Innocently so, the beast I believed

I convinced myself that the beast was me

but the beast puts up a front
and is not a beast at all
like a small child pretending he is tall

but a product of imagination

there in every beast
lies the heart of creation

the innocent spark of truth
that is the golden key
to unlock any door

to set one free

when he sees he has been lead astray

confused..fearful..
he only wants to run away
the true reflection is revealed

as he stares into the distance so vast

hopeless is what he feels

but remembrance is his beauty, the love that is she
whom reminds the beast he is truth
she is the one who sees

She is patience, gentle and kind
reminds him of the love inside

She knows him so well
oh, how she understands

And softly reaches out her hand.

Patti Kelly

Age 17 years

Image: Photo source: http://harlot.lchost.co.uk/Royo/III%20Millennium/III_mill_43.jpg
Artist : Luis Royo, featured in his book entitled III Millenium.