STAN ROGERS (1949-1983). 26 years ago on June 2, 1983, the talented folk singer/songwriter Stan Rogers was killed in an in-flight fire on Air Canada Flight 797. Stan Rogers' exquisite songwriting and sensitive baritone have been a favourite of mine for decades. With the recent anniversary of his death, I've been thinking a lot about him and his music and I just wanted to commemorate his talent and hopefully bring him to the attention of all who have never heard of him. While Stan was cremated and his ashes were scattered in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of his beloved Nova Scotia, his songs will always be here. One of his most beautful songs is "DELIVERY DELAYED" here heard from a concert in 1979; and typically, while I've been talking about death -- Stan is singing about birth.

• "How early is 'Beginning'? From when is there a soul?
• Do we discover living, or somehow are we told?
• In sudden pain, in empty cold, in blinding light of day
• We're given breath and it takes our breath away.
• -
• How cruel to unformed fancy, the way in which we come --
• Overwhelmed by feeling and sudden loss of love
• And what price dark confining pain, (the hardest to forgive)
• When, all at once, we're called upon to live.
• -
• By giant hand we're taken from the shelter of the womb
• That dreaded first horizon, the endless empty room
• Where communion is lost forever, when a heart first beats alone
• Still, it remembers, no matter how it's grown.
• -
• We grow, but grow apart --
• We live, but more alone --
• The more to be, the more to see
• To cry aloud that we are free
• To hide our ancient fear of being alone
• -
• And how we live in darkness, embracing spiteful cold
• Refusing any answers, for no man can be told
• That Delivery is delayed until at last we're made aware
• And first reach for love to find twas always there."