I wrote this piece of poetry for Rita after seeing her perform at Blyth in 1994, and I mailed it to her at Big Pond, Nova Scotia. That is all the address it took, just her name and Big Pond. I received a handsome letter back from her, thanking me for my gift of beautiful words! And she is just a beautiful woman. Nova Scotia will never be the same now. But her soul rides out along the black rock, and the Men Of The Deep will sing along with her spirit, for all eternity.
Hats Off To Rita MacNeil
Porch songs, and music from her soul
Poetry set to a mood of notes, combination of love and sadness,
And life itself, she sets us free.
Most beautiful lady!
You can laugh at yourself and find the deep, ethereal joy
In the sunrise and the waves and the black rock on the shore.
The world’s judgment does not matter, for you have learned to overcome.
I love the candid way you kick off your shoes and make no apology
Your enjoyment is a tangible thing that reaches out to me
Touches my soul
And I let you, dear, sweet woman ~ your smile is sunshine in a sad, lost world
You are not afraid to rock and roll, what surprise! What a difference you make!
I weep and I smile and I rejoice at what you give from your heart
My tears fall as I write; what could I give you in return?
I, in my tiny way, write my thoughts, and would like to someday leave my mark
To share with somebody, somewhere, somehow I might help to lessen
Somebody’s pain.
I am awed by your simple, honest beauty, so genuinely given
So valuable and tremendous, and yet so unpretentious
It restores my hope for mankind, that we may still learn to love, share, and forgive
And strive to be better.
I bow in gratitude to you and I will keep the melody
Part of the creative and loving artistry of music that you weave
Within my mind and my heart
To remind me of your humble soul that gives with no restraint
But with courage and with love.
In memory of Rita MacNeil
with utter admiration, cailin raine
living near the Blyth Festival gave delicious opportunity to grab a last minute seat, and slip down to the theatre by myself with pen and paper to jot down a word or phrase for later on... I cherish all three performances by Rita, that I was blessed to enjoy over the years, but the first one at Blyth stands out the most, when Rita was wearing her hats and performing in bare feet. I will keep her letter and beautiful signature forever, framed in dark cherry wood... what precious words from a woman well-loved and missed beyond expression. cailin raine
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