Dale Edmands, Kookamonga Square & "The New Oracy"

» stoneking31 - Vale - Dale Edmands

I am passing this on to all poets who may have known of Dale's work and his website, Kookamonga Square. He will be missed.

Billy

Dearest Poets,

This is the email that for weeks now I have dreaded having to
send. Dale passed away this morning about 7am PST. The gift of his
laughter, his smile, his sparkling blue eyes and his poetry is now
gracing different and greater place. I spent the night sitting with
him...holding his hand and singing to him...he lay quietly until
about 5am when he sat up, reached out in front of him and I had to
assure him that when it was time to go the he should not worry about
those of us who would remain here...we loved him and while we would
miss him terribly we would be ok. He layed back peacefully and I
left the room for a short break and a few minutes of sleep in my
bed. I woke at 7:04 and returned to find him gone...still warm, but
no longer breathing. I held his hand and said my goodbyes knowing
that he had passed to a greater place and no longer suffered with
any of the stuggles or pain that he did in this life. The hospice
nurse assured me that it was my leaving him peaceful and reassured
that we would all be ok that allowed him to pass away calmly in his
sleep. He loved you all deeply. I offer you the following verse
which I found a month or so ago as solace....He will never be fully
gone as we keep him in our hearts and there was great celebration at
his arrival on the other side. I will take a few days away from the
computer to make final arrangements and revisit those places where
we found the most joy...morning coffee at the water...a wonderful
little resturaunt where he loved the Wild Mushroom soup...the
bowling alley where I will share his passing with our bowling
buddies....and eventually the joy of fulfilling his wish to have his
ashes scattered on the waves he loved so dearly. If any of you wish
to do so we request that gifts be made to your local Hospice groups
in his name. I will return in a short while to carry on his
legacy....his poetry.....and his poets.

With love,
Sharon
-------------------------
I am standing upon the seashore. A ship at my side spreads her white
sails to the ocean. She is an object of beauty and strength. I stand
and watch her until at length she hangs like a speck of white cloud
just where the sea and sky come to mingle with each other.

Then someone at my side says: "There, she is gone!"

"Gone where?"

Gone from my sight. That is all.

Her diminished size is in me, not in her. And just at the moment
when someone at my side says: "There, she is gone!" there are other
eyes watching her coming, and other voices ready to take up the glad
shout:

"Here she comes!"

And that is dying.

Henry Van Dyke - pastor/poet

-- posted by stoneking31

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