Don't Make Me Cry Before We Start

                          For Cindy McQuillan
                              1953 - 2006


A singer has passed into silence
And so we are gathered today,
Rememb'ring her joys and her sorrows
In music that she loved to play.
We honor her life and her art --
Don't make me cry before we start.

The circle is constantly turning.
New voices are joining the old
In songs sung by those gone before us,
A treasure more precious than gold.
The memories tug at my heart --
Don't make me cry before we start.

And now as I gaze 'round the circle
Through eyes growing misty with tears
I think of new voices who'll join us
As circles revolve though the years
On the journey that no one can chart --
Don't make me cry before we start.


                                   -- Tom Digby
                                   written approx 18:00 03/04/2006
                                   entered        07:58 03/06/2006
                                   dedication     16:34 03/29/2006