ANST - Marion Zimmer Bradley: Mourning Song

Mike C. Baker kihe at ticnet.com
Sun Sep 26 17:17:52 PDT 1999


Apologies in advance to those who may receive more than 
one copy of the following.  There are sorrowful things to 
relate, and reactions to be recorded as well.

Sir Galen of Bristol had forwarded the following to the 
Ansteorran mailing list

> > I have word, forwarded from the Caid list, that
> > Marion Zimmer Bradley, author of _Mists of Avalon_
> > and the Darkover series (the lady who named the
> > Society for Creative Anachronism), has suffered a 
> > heart attack and is presently in Alta Bates Hospital 
> > in Berkeley, CA.  

According to sources close to the situation in California, 
Marion Zimmer Bradley passed from this existence to her next 
last evening (Saturday, September 25th, A.D.1999). 

Author, editor, mother, teacher, and oh so much more, 
"Mama Marion" will be indeed missed.  

The following composition is from the heart, composed upon the 
instant, and in no way meant to encompass all that this woman 
has meant, and by every measure STILL means, to the Society, 
to fans everywhere, and to her closest friends and loving family.
It is only the first of my responses.
 
Would someone please forward this poem to the household in California?
    * * * * * 
    Mourning: "Mama Marion"
        written by Mike C. Baker, 
        known also as Rev. Kihe Blackeagle (the Dreamsinger Bard)
        and al-Sayyid Amr ibn Maid al-Bakri al-Amra
            September, AD1999, being Anno Societatis XXXIV

Lifetime of learning has gone on her way
Departed the body, left here the cold clay
But legacies of thought and ten lifetimes of lore
Have passed into our keeping ere she left this shore.

    And the packbeasts mewl soft in their stable
    And the riderbeasts in their corral
    Their mistress strides roads where hooves cannot follow
     But our thoughts can, and evermore shall

Dwellers in mists and the dancers on tides
Merchants on highroad and some poets besides
Healers with thoughtforms and medical arts
Chroniclers of unseen: all now play smaller parts.

    And the huntbirds cry harsh in the closed mews
    And the canines howl out at the moons
    Their mistress now ranges before them
    And her legacy lives on in tunes

She gave us Society's naming and more
She gave of herself, and knew well the full score:
Laying no debts, she accepted them still,
And so gave our thought-words new will.

    And the writers will pound on their keyboards
    And the singers will fumble their strings
    What's been long expected no more has rejected
    Soft night has spread out her kind wings

Now, the filkers will sing soft of Heller's cold night
And the huxters sell tales of bold spaceships in flight
The trufen remember, and the fringefen will know,
Avalon's Lady can now watch the whole show. 

    Marion, "Mama", we'll miss you
    Your kind words, and harsh, and brave smile
    Rest now, you have given us lifetimes
    We'll see you beyond the last mile.

    * * * * *

        Pax in requiescat, Mater Marion -- 
            may the Powers grant
            that you have taught us all enough.

Mike C. Baker
SCA: al-Sayyid Amr ibn Majid al-Bakri al-Amra
"Other": Reverend Kihe Blackeagle PULC 
              (the DreamSinger Bard)
Opinions? I'm FULL of 'em 

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