I've had a couple of hard months losing heroes.  The eminent historian John Hope Franklin died in late march.  I'm teaching a course celebrating his life and work. Then it was Eunice Kennedy Shriver.  I wrote a note on her which slipped off the front page before anyone much noticed.  Shortly after, Teddy Kennedy passed; his death occasioning criticism from those who found his life not spotless enough to suit them, as well as praise for the efforts he made across his very long career.
Yesterday Mary Travers died.  One of the the army of "folk" who fought the good cause with melody and lyrics for more than a generation.  She was 72, a victim of leukemia, not old by today's standards of old.  I don't know anyone who had anything particularly malicious to say about Mary, though members of her craft have been ridiculed around here from time to time.  Buit I want to remember her today, publicly.  And I hope that the aholics will dedicate the jukebox to her this evening. 

IF I HAD A HAMMER (The Hammer Song)> words and music by Lee Hays and Pete Seeger 
If I had a hammer I'd hammer in the morning I'd hammer in the evening All over this land I'd hammer out danger I'd hammer out a warning I'd hammer out love between my brothers and my sisters All over this land 
f I had a bell I'd ring it in the morning I'd ring it in the evening All over this land I'd ring out danger I'd ring out a warning I'd ring out love between my brothers and my sisters All over this land 
If I had a song I'd sing it in the morning I'd sing it in the evening All over this land I'd sing out danger I'd sing out a warning I'd sing out love between my brothers and my sisters All over this land 
Well I've got a hammer And I've got a bell And I've got a song to sing All over this land It's the hammer of justice It's the bell of freedom It's the song about love between my brothers and my sisters All over this land

No moment of silence please.  No moment of silence for a singer.  A moment of song, a moment of joyful noise, a moment of not worrying about whether it's good enough for anyone to hear.  Thank you for your life, Mary.

When Day is Done

When the day is done
Down to earth then sinks the sun
Along with everything that was lost and won
When the day is done.

When the day is done
Hope so much your race will be all run
Then you find you jumped the gun
Have to go back where you began
When the day is done.

When the night is cold
Some get by but some get old
Just to show lifes not made of gold
When the night is cold.

When the bird has flown
Got no-one to call your own
Got no place to call your home
When the bird has flown.

When the games been fought
You speed the ball across the court
Lost much sooner than you would have thought
Now the games been fought.

When the partys through
Seems so very sad for you
Didnt do the things you meant to do
Now theres no time to start anew
Now the partys through.

When the day is done
Down to earth then sinks the sun
Along with everything that was lost and won
When the day is done