Rose Marie Raccioppi, backed by the portrait of English Poet, Ben Johnson, 1572 - 1637,
to which she gives tribute to in her poetic presentation ...
Orangetown Historical Museum and Archives
Loyal
to the Crown Poetry Reading
“Counsel
of Old”
"The
Collection”
“Ben Johnson ~ The Poet’s Pen”
Counsel
of Old
The poet and the bard with word and song did convey
To kings and rulers the heartfelt messages of the day
Counsel given in rhyme, gestures telling they be
To alert the kingdom of tales from across the sea
Jesters and jokers with wit would wisely advise
To be aware of those that mask and veil deceit and lies
Be it well that such wisdom of counsel shall be heard
For from their knowing hearts came echoes of THE WORD
Visions to be shared and truth ever to be sought
These the trappings that bards and jesters have brought
Be well advised that this counsel of old
Has a present day story yet to be told
Those with deliberate agendas of deception and demise
Seek not the counsel of the poetic nor of the wise
The artistry of the word in its truth shall ever prevail
For it is beauty and truth that the noble and wise rightly hail
A poet of modern times in rhyme I choose to pen the word
May your counsel of heart too, be known and ever heard.
Rose Marie Raccioppi
Poet Laureate
Orangetown, New York
The
Collection
British
Art from the Collection of George Way
And
we in gratitude for such a splendid array
Here
we gather, privileged are we to see
Art
and artifacts of a time past from across the sea
Portraits
most regal, and elegant in their attire
Historic
personages portrayed to reverently admire
Look
into the eyes and feel their story yet to be told
Portraits
of a yesterday, time and history do enfold
Coinage
and carvings, fine craft of hand and heart
Holding
the memories from which we shan’t depart
Platters,
adornments, pendants, clocks, buttons, there be
Boxes
and chests, carvings beholden to sacred geometry
Word,
art, and artifacts here in regal presentation
A
collection of British Art, be it in gracious celebration.
Rose Marie Raccioppi
Poet Laureate
Orangetown, New York
Ben Johnson
1572 - 1637
Ben Johnson here in portraiture elegant and in noble stead
Known he be for ever a poetic word and an expressed creed
Poet, essayist, playwright, dramatist, literary critic of
his time
Of life, passion, loss, love, encounters of the day and the
divine
Words of heart, mind, mood, blessings, laments and tender
grace
From his time to this moment present ours to endearingly
trace
And so I share lines that speak a poet’s heart tried and
true
From days long gone brought lovingly to you…
To
the Memory of My Beloved the Author,
Mr.
William Shakespeare
...
While
I confess thy writings to be such
As
neither man nor muse can praise too much...
Of
Shakespeare's mind and manners brightly shines
In
his well-turned, and true-filed lines...
And
art alive still while thy book doth live
And
we have wits to read and praise to give.
He
was not of an age but for all time!
And
all the Muses still were in their prime…
Song:
to Celia [“Drink to me only with thine eyes”]
Drink
to me only with thine eyes,
And I
will pledge with mine;
Or
leave a kiss but in the cup,
And
I’ll not look for wine.
The
thirst that from the soul doth rise
Doth
ask a drink divine;
But
might I of Jove’s nectar sup,
I
would not change for thine.
I
sent thee late a rosy wreath,
Not
so much honouring thee
As
giving it a hope, that there
It
could not withered be.
But
thou thereon didst only breathe,
And
sent’st it back to me;
Since
when it grows, and smells, I swear,
Not
of itself, but thee.
The Poet’s Pen
The poet's pen with
plea in heart
From which words have
their start
A tree, a blossom, a
water's flow
These the gifts of
grace the poet does know
The music, the wind, a
songbird heard
The poet so touched
and offers a word
The spirits of song,
of dance, of music, of art
From the poet's pen
ne'er shall they depart
Heart’s joy and love ever in praise
This the expressed delight of the
poet’s days
The muse of all to
entreat soul's pleasure
Words of musing, be
the poet's treasure.
Rose Marie Raccioppi
Poet Laureate
Orangetown, NewYork
