While there are many special evenings at the Garfield, it will take a long time to match what took place last night as the Kent County community gathered there to celebrate and to honor Leslie Prince Raimond’s long tenure as the executive director of the Kent County Art Council.
Assembling some of the best local talent in jazz, gospel, and poetry, the community toasted Leslie by offering a taste on stage of how her contributions have changed Kent County. The Spy also got in the act by offering up a video tribute to Leslie which is shown here.
One of the more moving parts of the evening was a poem authored by Robert Earl Price.
MAGIC GARDNER
A Sestina for Leslie Prince Raimond
A master gardener sowing heirloom seed
tending the shore’s aesthetic need
Plowing the furrow of creative deed
A breathing almanac for truth seekers to read
Insuring that the beauty makers are freed
To follow where cultured tendrils lead
Plotting visions shaped by imagination’s lead
Plucking fruit from each exotic seed
Patiently waiting for art’s wildness to be freed
And desire become an urgent need
A need to plot starry nights for all to read
Inciting rebellion with a graceful deed
Forgiveness folded into tenderness by a creative deed
A trail of celebration following this mystic’s lead
Along rows of petals etched with mantras for all to read
This horticulturist gifted with pods of the mystery seed
Sculpted wonder feeding the dreamer’s need
Revealing a hidden tableau waiting to be freed
Unleashing budding talents longing to be freed
Lacing costumes for the performance of the dramatic deed
Grafting lifelines and bloodlines to feed our social need
Drawing inspiration from this master gardener’s lead
Sprouting waves of harmony from a simple seed
Editing bronze inscriptions for all to read
Inscribing tinseled air with stars to read
A path to a golden gazebo to perform the ceremony of the freed
A ritual for scattering germinating seed …
We have witnessed the ripened fruit of Leslie’s deed
Audience and artist encouraged by her lead
Finding courage to touch that place of tender need
And play in harmonic spaces that unveil deeply felt need
To choreograph monologues for generations to read
And fill hearts with dreams reaped from the mystic’s lead
She waters oddities struggling to be freed
From the manacles of censored deed
Magic sprouted and spread by a solitary seed
Into our hearts she has scattered a seed and awakened a need
To bare witness to an indelible deed – a scroll for the future to read
The accounts of creative spirits freed by the boon of Leslie’s visionary lead
robert earl price 12-12-17
Barbara in den Bosch says
A magnificent poem every part of which was apt. How do we rate such a poet in our small town? Wow.
Thanks again Robert Earl.
jenifer endicott emley says
Yes, such a beautiful poem. Thank you, Robert Earl.