Art From Fans (Closed)

In 1997 there was a special Shine contest on these pages. Part of this contest asked fans to create poems and pieces of art for Mary. All the art pieces and poems have been compiled into one book which has been given to Mary. She was very pleased with this book and thanks everyone who participated in it. The book can be found below:

Index

Introduction

The Questions

Poems

Untitled by Robert Hargies

The Voice by Jessica Lambert

Song Of My Heart by John Dressler

Eternal Love by Josh Lewis

Mary Black And Me by Jamie Bollich

Bells Of Ireland by Nahtan Namretsnum

Sometimes by Gary Hunt

Mary, Your Voice Sets Me Free by Jordie Howell

A Collection by Joke Tonn

Art

Spooktacular Musical by John Dressler

Bells Of Ireland by Nahtan Namretsnum

Word Art by Jordie Howell

Dear Mary,

This book is the result of a contest I ran on the Unofficial Mary Black Homepage on the Internet. Thanks to the help of both Arcade Music Holland and Dara Records I had several items, like posters, CD’s and three photographs signed by you personally, to give away to people who really enjoy your music.

The contest consisted of three different parts. For the first part, people had to answer ten questions. For the second part of the contest, people had to write a poem, which had to be related to your music. Most of the poems turned out to be expressions of feelings of the writers towards your music. The last part consisted of making some kind of art. This turned out to be the hardest part; I only got three entries for this category.

This book contains all entries from the poetry and art part of the contest. I also gave the readers of my internet pages the possibility to write a small personal note to you, which are also included in this book.

I hope you appreciate this token of friendship from several people who enjoy your music very much.

Regards,

Mark van Setten.

(On behalf of all the people who participated in this book)

The Questions

These are the ten questions people had to answer for the contest:

With which band did Mary record the song "Song For Ireland" for the first time?
Which song was Mary's greatest breakthrough?
What is the name of Mary's sister, who also is a singer and recorded several albums?
Which English female singer was Mary's greatest example?
Give the name of the person who has been in Mary's band since she started (but left the band about a year ago) and has been partly responsible for Mary's success?
Who produced Mary's latest album Shine?
What is the title of the TV series which has been aired by the BBC, in which Mary and other musicians from both sides of the Atlantic Ocean performed together?
For the album Mary Black The Collection Mary recorded a song from an American female singer, who happen to have the same first name as Mary. What is the whole name of this singer and what is the title of this song?
Mary also had a small part in a movie. What is the title of this movie?
Mary also recorded the album The Black Family with several of her brothers and sisters. On this album there is a song which has to do with a piece of traditional Irish food. What is the title of this song (which is also the name of the food)?

Especially question nine turned out to be a very difficult question. There were only a few people who had heard about "A Sort Of Homecoming".

The cymbal of Black music is well noted

But not quoted but does sound on holy ground divine.

Mary Black’s music does shine

Robert Hargies

Stratford – USA

The Voice

I hear it now

It’s floating over

All my feelings

The voice so pure,

So pure it carries

Me away.

I listen as

The voice haunts me with

Words belonging

To favourite songs,

Songs that will always

Stay with me.

Emotions are

Now felt so clearly

What can I do?

But let them take,

Take me into the

Voice that sings.

The constant voice

A friend close to me

Inspires my love

And now brings tears,

Tears to my dark eyes

Mesmerised

Jessica Lambert (13 years)

Royston Herts, UK

Song Of My Heart

Hi, Hi, Hi !

A new fan am I.

Your music is a treasure I have found,

It makes me feel good by leaps and bounds.

Music that has a voice of heaven,

I must tell my good friend Kevin.

More time I must spend

So your music will never end

I cannot ever go out,

Without Mary Black music I doubt.

My thoughts for you are the loveliest by far,

As I daydream gazing at a star.

While at home, the moonlight draws near,

Not ever meeting you is my personal fear.

Your songs touch my heart,

Like an expensive piece of art.

A new fan am I,

Will I ever get to say hi?

John Dressler

Janesville, USA

Spooktacular Musical

John Dressler

Eternal Love

You are the star I can not reach.

You are the barrier I can not breech.

You are my hearts desire.

When I look at you my heart is set on fire.

The fire burns with love for you.

Yet sense your love is not .

I am forced to put that fire out with my tears

You are the one I love.

More beautiful than heaven above.

Your eyes burn brighter than the stars.

I need your love in my life.

When you're around my heart is full of joy.

I would do anything for you.

I would take my own life.

For it means nothing to me.

You are the only one that means anything to me.

If any one hurts you I will kill them for you are the one my life revolves around.

Josh Lewis

Tulare, USA

Mary Black And Me

On Saturday night, a few years ago,

I first noticed Mary on a radio show.

She sang with poignant beauty of a thorn upon a rose,

And of pain being no stranger to those deep in love's throes.

Since then her music's been high on the list

Of pleasures that I should never miss.

"Song for Ireland," "Dimming of the Day,"

And "Summer Sent You" all blow me away.

"The Urge for Going" drew me straight to Lilith Fair,

Where I heard her at The Woodlands and couldn't help but stare.

She was lively, she was lovely, and her voice rich and first-rate,

Despite the heat, and jet lag, too, she and the band were great!

When she was through I talked with her and thanked her best I could,

For sharing music with the world that does our hearts such good.

Jamie Bollich,

Beaumont, USA

Bells Of Ireland

All of them strong

One of them deep

One of them lulling

Me ever to sleep

Bells of Ireland

Ringing the air

Echoing o'er the Atlantic

Tolling without fare

All of them alive

Their sound always one

Their song always present

In my mind and my tongue.

Nahtan Namretsnum

Milwaukee, USA

Sometimes

Sometimes

In the quiet dark places

of the night

I hear the echo

of her

In the lonely places

of my soul

Gary Hunt

Mary, Your Voice Sets Me Free

The world is full of wonders, gifts from heaven so true,

Music is the greatest gift, and part of that is you.

Your voice can sparkle up any day, put peace in every heart,

I only have to hear a song to know you fit the part,

Oceans, landscapes and sunsets, may put a soul to rest,

For me a note from your clear voice, builds my mind a nest.

A nest of comfort and of love, extracting thoughts of stress,

The lilting trills, cascades and words is a sweet caress.

A voice from heaven, the shimmering moonlight of your gift,

A tone so rare and yet so special, for me there is no shift.

The Irish spirit is captured in song, through ancient stories told,

But in your voice it is fine tuned and moulded, it simply comes out gold.

Irish music lies close to my heart, I have always felt a bond,

When I came to know your voice I found a place in the land.

One day I hope to meet you, to feel your presence near,

I am a singer myself, I know the hardships, maybe I'll see and sing with you one year.

Your music sees me through many conflicts, situations hard to face,

I still must go one, deal with life and be strong,

But nothing will ever take your place.

Jordie Howell

A Collection

There's a song for every moment

a melody for every mood

But only one gets in my walkman

the lady singing 'Babes in the wood'

'Without the fanfare', I love her voice

She moves my 'Women's heart'

Where I go, she comes along

whenever I push "start"

I walk home from work,

'By the time it gets dark'

In my headphones a soothing voice

more beautiful then a lark

When there's a 'Circus' in my head

and music in my brain

I have to sing along with it

or else, I go insane

I heard her for the first time

In a pool of emotions I drowned

I still do, all the time I listen

to a song from 'The holy ground'

Music knows 'No frontiers'

No boundaries should be allowed

there should be all kinds of music

for every kind of crowd

I am listening to music

I am 'Looking back'

I am pretty sure now

I'm a fan of Mary Black

Mary Black is coming to Groningen

With songs from her album 'Shine'

I ran to buy a ticket

And now that ticket is MINE, MINE, MINE

Joke Tonn,

The Netherlands

Word Art

M
Music flowing through you, spreading around the world,

A
Appreciated by many cultures, expanding your fan club,

R
Reactions, varied from all sides,

Y
Young and old come to hear your talent,

B
Beauty is your strongest feature,

L
Life and energy revealed in your music,

A
An Irish texture to your work,

C
Collections of songs, like jewels to your name,

K
Keep at it Mary, we love you!

Jordie Howell