Pics from Carolina Ren Fest 2012 - Dawn & I

'Longers Lament

‘Longers Lament

Sung to The Pilgrims’ Chorus by Wagner

Once more Banyan I with rapture behold thee

And greet the Tree who shall sweetly enfold me.

With‘longer’s staff I here return

My passage through the Tree ensure.

I have been true to kith and kin,

My ranch, my strength,

My heart, my friends.

The Tree shall be my rest eternally;

Until I wake, I will sleep in peace.

Until I wake, I will sleep in peace,

And dream of trees and grass and skies.

I fear no dark my soul to face,

I lay serene in the Tree’s Embrace.

Once more dear Banyan, I rest in thee.

Hallelujah.Hallelujah. Until the next Song.

Songs and Stories from A Filker’s Companion to Bedina’s War

Pics from Carolina Ren Fest 2012 - Dawn Dilts

Why I Write for Veterans

When I was six years old, my father sat me on his lap and told me he was going back to Viet Nam. He said if he didn’t go back, little children just like me would be made into slaves or killed. He said he hated to leave us again, but he had to help save these children.

I have lived all over the world as an officer’s brat and witnessed the traumatic adjustments of veterans returning from battle and the sometimes devastating transition to civilian life. I watch in amazement as my mother deals with the many facets of being a veteran’s widow. I personally support two veteran charities – one of which received the first 2009 CNN Hero award – Stand Down House. The other charity is the Prayer Shawls for Fallen Soldiers’ Families organization.

I am experienced in veteran issues as a daughter, sister, neighbor, teacher, co-worker, supporter, and patriot. As the editor of BellaOnline’s Veterans site for three years, I was proud to serve as an advocate for women whose lives are tapped by the daily interests, issues and challenges of veterans.


One of my favorite sayings is from Beowulf, “Each of us must look to death and he who can should do mighty deeds before it comes.”

Just like everybody else in this world, I’ve tasted death and despair and betrayal and injustice and heart-ache and unanswerable questions. And still I find grace in the eternity of nature, joy in the love of friends, and hope in each word I type, because each word leads to another and together they create a life that can be shared with many and will live on beyond my physical mortality.

Ancient Old Earth

Always the bridesmaid, never the bride.Old Earth


Scriptures from A Filker’s Companion to Bedina’s War

Druce drifted into sleep again while Pegeen guarded his dreams.

http://Evelyn-Rainey.com/Minna_Pegeen.html

Orchidean Eyes

Orchidean Eyes

Sung to “The Long-horn Cow”

I’m going to leave Orchidea,

To fight the monsters far away.

Farewell my children and my herds,

‘Til in the Tree’s Embrace I lay.

The slavers thought to capture me

While on the banks of Cousteau I fought,

But first I stabbed and then I flew

And never by the slavers got caught.

My ship was captured by salvagers

And though they sold most of the crew,

The monsters took one look at me

And women began to form a queue.

For my loins were Commonwealth

And well bountiful were my seeds.

I reckon most of the births on Noviskaya

Were the result of all my mighty deeds.

DamLince claims they won the war

But we’ll never believe their lies,

For one hundred children on Noviskaya

Have Orchidean faces and Orchidean eyes.

Songs and Stories from A Filker’s Companion to Bedina’s War