She's Gone

“A dragon lives forever, but not so little boys…” And not so the human beings that bring dragons to life in music. Mary Travers of Peter, Paul, and Mary has lost her battle with illness and has passed from this life.’
For those of us who grew up in the sixties and listened to the LP records and the eight-track cassettes of Peter, Paul, and Mary, this is the passing of an age and a realization that we indeed are becoming more fragile and ever closer to that time when we too will pass from this life. We have also lost someone who, even though we personally knew her not, has by her death left an empty space in our hearts and minds that won’t be filled.
Ms. Travers was larger than life. Peter, Paul, and Mary were the voice of many of us who had something to say, but didn’t quite know what words to use or how best to tell the message. Many of us weren’t even sure what it was we wanted to say. We just knew that things weren’t how they should be, and hoped that someone somewhere would know what to do. Peter, Paul, and Mary knew what to do and what to say and how to say it in such a way that people not only listened, but acted upon what they heard.
And although Ms. Travers' voice wasn't like that of Karen Carpenter or Sandi Patty, she had absolute control over it and could lend her trademark sound to one of many genres of music and have it sound as it was supposed to sound.
I am one of literally millions of people in my age group who are actively mourning Mary’s passing and the silencing of a two and a half octave (or more) voice that spoke for us all.

How many years can a mountain exist
Before it’s washed to the sea?
Yes, and how many years can some people exist
Before they’re allowed to be free?
Yes, and how many times can a man turn his head,
Pretending he just doesn’t see?
The answer, my friend, is blowin in the wind,
The answer is blowin in the wind.

Blowin in the Wind
Written by Bob Dylan