Eva

Saturday 6th April 2019 9:43 am

Preamble

Eva Cassidy had a malignant melanoma mole on her back removed in the 1980's. It reappeared in 1996. The swiftness with which it does it's deadly work is unreal. It's a very fast-growing cancer – ignore it at your peril

eva

unprepared

you and me

too soon

you flew away

but you left memories

they'll never fly away

never

they pull at my emotions

they make me cry

like I want them to

eva

Post Script

The saddest part of the story is that she had to die to get the acclaim she deserved. Prior to her death she was a virtual 'unknown'.

Don Matthews July 2017

Blues Alley jazz supper club in Georgetown, DC, on the 3rd January 1996.

Comments

victoriavautaw@gmail.com

Sat 6th Apr 2019 16:43

Posthumous fame, so often an artist's fate. Thank you for bringing her to our awareness. Love your poem and her soothing melody. ?

M.C. Newberry

Sat 6th Apr 2019 15:39

I was aware of her name and late arriving fame but not familiar with
her performances. She seemed to follow the style that saw Judy Collins,(later on Kate Melua in the UK) and others become popular. Not sure how one develops a cancer on the back of the body
unless through damaging exposure to the sun but its "hidden
from usual view" position shows how it can become so dangerous.
A sad reminder of a talent taken long before her time.

Becky Who

Sat 6th Apr 2019 12:55

I second Dorothy - this is sweet and touching, something we can react to, speaking straight to us. Nice one Don.

Don Matthews

Sat 6th Apr 2019 10:44

Dorothy,

I have only been writing less the two years and decided to look back at what I was writing as a 'Poet in Training' as I called myself then. I did not feel deserving of the title 'Poet'. at the time. Now I think, did I really write this? This one from July 17 pulls at the emotions. I shall look for more

Don

<Deleted User> (21487)

Sat 6th Apr 2019 09:52

One of my favourite singers - in fact - the favourite of favourites.

No one can sing 'Fields of gold' or 'wayfaring stranger' like Eva

'Over the Rainbow' is so heart-felt and her story is so heart-breaking.
Having read your poem I now feel compelled to play 'SONGBIRD' loudly so that it echoes throughout the house.

More like this please - sad and sweet prompting a reaction.
'dorothy

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Eva

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