Thyself Claimed

Pay heed to your call of soul, of heart

To emotions, sensations, from truth shan't depart

Restlessness, the beckoning for attention, a vision clear

Confront the drama, shackles that bind and hold to fear

Haunts of judgment be they named, be they willfully tamed

In TRUTH know thyself, thyself, thyself claimed.

Rose Marie Raccioppi

Poet Laureate

Orangetown, New York

Founder/Director

APOGEE Paradigm™

In Honor... In Tribute...Vietnam Veterans of America...

Vietnam Veterans of America

Chapter 333 Rockland County 

New York

30th Anniversary Dinner

October 28, 2017

In Honor of Jerry Donnellan

"Rockland Veterans Agency Director Jerry Donnellan has announced his retirement — well, to the extent that Jerry can retire. We fully expect Donnellan to continue advocating for his fellow veterans, and welcome his rabblerousing on their behalf.

Donnellan, who has served at the agency for three decades, leads by example. He tells of his own catastrophic injury — riddled with shrapnel, a leg blown off in battle during the Vietnam War. He frequently discusses personal and ongoing struggles with post-traumatic stress. He has worked closely with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs but has called out its shortcomings loudly and repeatedly. 

Donnellan, 70, has done much to make sure local vets are remembered and properly honored. He worked for years to get notification from the VA when a servicemember returned home. He helped establish FAVOR, which stands for Find and Assist Vets of Rockland, which provides discounts from local merchants. He helped establish the county's Public Service Medal to honor those who served in Afghanistan, Iraq, or as part of the global war on terrorism. These and similar efforts, though, were also about connecting with local veterans who may be wary of government. That way, his office could provide support and advocacy now or whenever it was needed.”  

The Journal News.  http://www.lohud.com/story/opinion/editorials/2017/06/07/veterans-thank-jerry/377080001/

These Words Delivered in Loving Tribute

click for larger view

The P O E T

An impression, and words may seem pale in offering a description. The need to make what is felt, what is seen, what is heard, what is experienced, calls to the POET… and beckons the Muse… to utter the sounds of …

Passion

Omnipresence

Eternity

Truth … of beauty of BEING.

"The poet is the sayer, the namer, and represents beauty. He is a sovereign, and stands on the centre. For the world is not painted, or adorned, but is from the beginning beautiful; and God has not made some beautiful things, but Beauty is the creator of the universe. Therefore the poet is not any permissive potentate, but is emperor in his own right.”

~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

Rose Marie Raccioppi

Poet Laureate

Orangetown, New York

Curtain Call

The Theatre of our lives

Be it a performance real

Quest and pursuit ne’er conceal

Be it of vision, and a knowing wise

Love, faith, truth, beyond demise

Be it staged, spontaneous, ever in revelation

Each breath of BEING in the NOW celebration

Imagine, envision, dream the dream awake

Yours is a role not another can take

Curtain Call, Bravo, Bravo be it heard

Within your heart pulsing be passion’s word

The prize, the trophy, to bear your name

You in fulfillment of the players game

You in fulfillment of the players game.

Rose Marie Raccioppi

Poet Laureate

Orangetown, New York