Mary

I smuggled my tiny reel-to-reel tape player into the huge old theater in downtown Cincinatti. Our seats were on the last row of the highest balcony. Mary and Paul and Peter ran into the spotlight on the faraway stage that evening in the late sixties and began one of their rousing songs. I ate it up. I sang fervently along when invited. And I left an even more devoted fan of this wonderful trio and especially the beautiful girl with the long straight blond hair that she occasionally threw back with an unabashed jerk of her head as she sang. I spent my adolescense with a mental pin-up of that gorgeous girl in my brain.

Mary Travers died today. Another little part of me is gone as well.

The last time we planned a vist to hear the trio at Chastain in Atlanta the concert had to be cancelled on account of Mary's health. That demon leukemia claimed her.
She was the one I first heard sing John Denver's song, "Follow Me". It was one of several songs we used in our wedding.

Later note: I've spent the last hour or so enjoying song after song of the trio on youTube. It breaks my heart that I won't hear and see them in person again. What a concert they gave. Thank heavens for the redeeming aspects of our often aggravating modern world: I can call up a miniature concert right here in my own house at any hour.

I'll be there when you're feeling down,
To kiss away the tears if you cry.
I'll share with you all the happiness I've found,
A reflection of the love in your eyes.

So kiss me and smile for me
Tell me that you'll wait for me
Hold me like you'll never let me go.

And if you take my hand my son
All will be well when the day is done.

I'd sing out danger,
I'd sing out a warning
I'd sing out love between my brothers and my sisters,
All over this land.

How many times must a man look up
Before he can see the sky?
How many ears must one man have
Before he can hear people cry?

You see I like to share my life with you
and show you things I've seen
Places where I'm going to, places where I've been
To have you there beside me and never be alone
And all the time that you're with me, then we will be at home

Click on the PP&M label to read other posts concerning Peter, Paul, and Mary.

And here is the PP&M website:
http://www.peterpaulandmary.com/