Memorial Day Presentation by Rose Marie Raccioppi, Poet Laureate, Lions Community Event, Blauvelt New York... as featured by the Blauvelt Library.

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Memorial Day, 2016

A presentation by Rose Marie Raccioppi, Poet Laureate, Orangetown, New York at the Memorial Day Community Event, Lion’s Park, Blauvelt, New York, Monday, May 30th 2016 at the noon hour.

Memorial Day,  2016

Today, Memorial Day, gives special meaning to the words THANK YOU ... for it is life given and freedoms won that we hold in gratitude. What is endured by our Veterans can only be known by them. We are to embrace and honor their needs. Yes, we are to provide the ultimate of understanding and support for their return home, be it to heaven’s door or earth’s abode,  we ever in expression of our abiding love.

Abiding LOVE ... heart to heart…. 

heart prayer, an inner light, a flame

passion, faith and truth in glory name

this sounding PRESENCE be it in PRAISE

for the treasure of time and blessed days

a body, a mind, a spirit, a soul

a life in pursuit of purpose, a vision, a goal

hold to the light of souls in heavens above

live the majesty of PRESENCE and abiding LOVE.

Heartfelt be these words and remembrances. Heartfelt be the sacrifices, the loss, the vision, the victory, the freedoms to prevail.

So this be known…

And they who for country and freedom in battle perish

We to weep and in loving memory with gratitude cherish

For each life that was lives in God's embrace sublime

Ever blessed be their souls in soaring grace divine

The pulsing, sounding, recording within our heart

From which memory and sentiment have their start

Of dearly loved ones who once filled our day

Their souls taken to another path, to the eternal way

We share gestures and words that lovingly hold to grace

And within our BEING it is tenderness we place

All in reflection of sacrifice and noble deed

The cry of Freedom, ever our living creed

The gifts of LIFE with vision blessed and bold

This the giving within each Veteran's story told

Loyalty, dedication, ascending care be they known

This in valor by our sons and daughters shown

Courage to hold to freedom's call and light

In perseverance the challenge be it day or night

Fortitude, strength, imbued with heart's noble call

Sacrifices of body, limb, in this a growing toll

To hold resolve and endure all claim

To fire the passion beyond the pain

For those given to liberation and freedom's call

Blessed Be they who have given their All 

It is resolve that humanity calls to be known

Within the grasps of faith, love and TRUTH be shown

This day, the NOW of yesterday we devotedly share

For timeless be each heart's deeply felt care

Life with God's blessings shall ever prevail

'Tis the vision of freedom and valor within souls we hail

Symbols of spirit, our flag, a wreath, an eagle in flight

This in reflection of faith and God’s gift of loving light

Declaration of Independence, Constitutional Rights ever to preserve

And so the glory of those who devotedly and honorably serve

The dream yet dreamed shall unfold

And PEACE to be the story told

This gift of knowing to mark the rising way

And we in tribute give honor this Memorial Day.

Rose Marie Raccioppi

Poet Laureate

Orangetown, New York

Afar a Black Bird

The songbird song heard

So sweet be this touch of sound

The clear blue sky with whispers of grace

Bright, clear, warming sun

Felt be these rays of love from source

Fresh fragrance of bloom, trees in floral array

The caress of the calm wind upon my face

Ambrosial quietude

The shimmering dance of light upon leaves 

Afar a black bird perched on a high wire

Such be the savor of time, distance and PRESENCE.

Rose Marie Raccioppi

Poet Laureate

Orangetown, New York

At the noon hour of BEING

How welcomed is this sky, so clear, so brilliantly blue

Felt is the bounty of grace

The love that is

The unity of purpose

The eternal  expressed

The sun in its  enfold of all

The touch of the gentle wind

The soaring of wings in flight

How welcomed is this sky, so clear, so brilliantly blue

This at the noon hour of BEING.

Rose Marie Raccioppi

Poet Laureate

Orangetown, New York