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The Maven With apologies to Edgar Allan Poe By Gaye Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary, Over many a quaint and curious email of interminable bore— While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping, As an email gently rapping, rapping at my mental snore. "'Tis from Beth," I muttered, "rapping at my mental snore— Only this and nothing more." Ah, distinctly I remember how it felt like bleak December; As I read her missive slowly, mind perceiving what I’d not before T’was not a notice for a bike ride; nor a plea for one more leader But an announcement of her wish – her other interests to explore And all the time she would require – her other interests to explore This it was and something more… Some things she could no longer do, if she were other interests to pursue, She knew with quiet certainty that while we Babes would desperately implore And her heart would bleed, but the Babes she could no longer lead In all the things we used to do, in the halcyon days of yore In all the things she can no longer do, in the halcyon ways of yore Quoth our maven, “Nevermore”. All the things she did beguiling, I reminisced and started smiling Picnics at Needwood, Blossoms at Kenwood, Seagull riding along the shore Coffee and cakes on Jefferson Street, making plans for Babes trips to complete But dear maven, how shall we replace you, Beth, the Big Babe that we adore? What will we do without your counsel, Beth, the Head Babe that we adore? Lead together, and we’ll do more. So presently our souls grow stronger, hesitating then no longer, For each Babe must look within and offer her talents to explore To keep the group thriving, and every Babe striving For friendship, fitness and great fun, with love and kindness at our core And fellowship with every one, and love and kindness are our core All of this, and yet there’s more… Oh Beth, you have created a group of women who are elated To ride grinning and sweating along the trail, with strength and endurance even when sore Rolling together day by day developing friendships along the way With support for each other, on our bikes we will soar With support from each other, on our wings we will soar Thanks to our Maven, ever more |