Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Ready for the final tour swing

Well, the Celtic Woman folks have had their well earned break and tomorrow begin their final swing of the spring 2009 tour. I'm sure I share with many others the prayers and well wishes for a great few weeks for them all as they wrap up this first tour of the new show Isle Of Hope.

I'm set to attend both shows in Raleigh, shows at Wolf Trap and Nashville, and the finale with both shows at Red Rocks outside Denver. Wow. The latter looks to be a big forum event.

Celtic Woman has released a couple new videos. One is a performance of their beautiful Brendan Graham composition, Oh America. That was recorded at the Nokia theater in Dallas on April 18th which was Mairead's birthday. This song never fails to get me all teary eyed. The other video is a promo and includes parts of Oh America at Dallas as well as bits of The Call and Mo Ghile Mear. Those two songs were obviously recorded early on in the tour, possibly at Chicago. How do I know that? David Downes is at the piano and Mairead is wearing the shiny, tighter fitting gown she started the tour with that I saw in Evansville.

These videos fuel specualtion that the new DVD will not be recorded as a stand alone performance as those in the past have been. Rather it may be a compilation of recordings from venues along this tour. That would save both CW and PBS a lot of money and hassles, and still produce a beautiful product. Wouldn't bother me one bit if that is what they do. They may record more as this tour wraps up at some great venues.

In response to a request to Celtic Woman for a donation towards Mairead's charity auction/raffle they have donated a very special gift that I should receive later in the year. I'll not say what it is just yet but I thank them as will Mairead and Oxfam for this thoughtful donation.

Olivia has been slammed with University and has taken a bit of a break from gigs. That does not mean she is relaxing! She continues to crank out more material and is preparing for full on rehearsals with her band with a full concert worth of songs. Those will be centered around our mission in India and the song Will India Cry. If you have not checked out Liv please go to her official site at www.oliviagritten.org and follow the links to hear some great music. Join her forum too if you haven't already!

I've not written a poem/lyric since the three right after Mairead's birthday. Too much else on my mind I guess. Thank you for your prayers and well wishes. We posted a lovely thank you to Mairead in video format from her forum that is set to a previously unreleased song by Liv and I, Butterfly Kisses. Be watching for a new slide show/video on Youtube dedicated to Navy vets and set to another as yet unreleased song by us, Old Sailor. That was written about a friend of mine who is a WW II vet. Liv set it to music the first night I was in Australia, and she and I modified it some to make it flow better.

The unofficial start of summer has begun. So, to all of you, safe travels, an enjoyable summer, and God's blessings as always until the next time.

All the best, Scott

Friday, May 15, 2009

The winning entry

Hello everyone!

Well, this has been posted elsewhere but thought it time to start posting some of the inspired creations here. This poem was written back on August 24th 2008 in response to a writing contest in Cork Ireland. It made the finals against two other writers and won by popular vote with as many votes as the other two combined. The idea was to write something about a bard and a merchant's daughter. What came to me turned out to be a Christian witness. Enjoy.

THE GIFT OF THE LOUGH

The old man sits feeding doves
by the lough on a soft day.
He is there yet is distant.
His mind is always at play.

She is a sweet lonely lass
from the small town up the way.
She came to the lough forlorn
to kneel down sadly and pray.

She sees the man smiling bright
with a look of joy so real.
And so she dares to approach
as if His beaming might heal.

Why the sad eyes pretty lass?
Says He in a soft clear lilt.
Do you not know God's glories
reach out to erase your guilt.

Says she I am hating life.
There is no love and no hope.
My dad is the town merchant,
and for love I blindly grope.

Who might you be gentle sir?
Says she through a stream of tears.
Says He I'm the bard ageless
sent here to remove your fears.

Hear that sweet dove cooing song
to tell you life is a gift.
Hear the wind and the water,
and let your spirit just drift.

Each day is a newborn babe
that you must care for and love.
To waste it would be tragic
just like you killing that dove.

He then takes the cooing bird
and puts it in her soft hands.
Then with His hand a caress,
and a kiss upon her lands.

When she looks up nothings there.
The bard is not to be found.
Just her smile and the cooing
and a cross upon the ground.

c 2008 Scott Manke aka moscapoet