Franco Aragosta (aka FreeThinke), one of the friends of this blog as well as my personal friend since 2012, passed away suddenly very early on the morning of October 7. He would have turned 80 years old on his next birthday, in April.
This talented man was an accomplished pianist, an astute music critic, and a writer of poetry (both serious and light-hearted). In fact, for years, he composed acrostic sonnets as a daily mind-sharpening exercise. A Renaisssance Man in several ways!
I will miss him.
Extracted by Elgar from his concert overture "In the South (Alassio)", "In Moonlight (Canto popolare)" is played here by the English Chamber Orchestra, conducted by Paul Goodwin. The paintings are by the English artist John Atkinson Grimshaw.
He used to say how OLD he was and I couldn't understand it because late seventies isn't that old and he seemed so hearty! He thought he'd go soon...and he did!! He was one of the brightest men I EVER met and we'd be in contact in spurts, but the last times were SO wonderful that I'm stunned. I had no idea if he was sick...or did he have a heart attack? I'll miss him forever. WHAT a talent, how articulate, how much he loved America..........Rest in peace, friend.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Z, for mentioning what a patriot Franco/FreeThinke was. I neglected to mention it in my blog post.
DeleteI don't know the cause of death. Maybe I will be told at some point.
Who did you hear from, AOW? Are you still in touch with Connie?
DeleteZ,
DeleteI'm not in touch with Connie.
I heard from one of his neighbors, who has temporary access to Franco's email account. I had sent an "Are you okay?" inquiry earlier today because I hadn't seen Franco in the blogosphere for several days, and the neighbor replied to me with the sad news.
I wasn't surprised. I knew that he hadn't been feeling well: dizziness, mostly.
I just emailed, hoping the wonderful family he loved will respond...they were such dear friends and they took good care of him and I know he'll now have taken good care of them. Let's see if I can get some information...... Roger would have loved your post, Ada, honoring him AND he'd have been thrilled by everyone's remarks....I'm so happy about that.
DeleteZ,
DeleteLet me know if you hear back.
The man who emailed me is a member of the wonderful family you mentioned.
Franco, You will be missed.
ReplyDeleteFare the well, old friend...
ReplyDeleteLord, thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations.
2 Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God.
3 Thou turnest man to destruction; and sayest, Return, ye children of men.
4 For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night.
5 Thou carriest them away as with a flood; they are as a sleep: in the morning they are like grass which groweth up.
6 In the morning it flourisheth, and groweth up; in the evening it is cut down, and withereth.
7 For we are consumed by thine anger, and by thy wrath are we troubled.
8 Thou hast set our iniquities before thee, our secret sins in the light of thy countenance.
9 For all our days are passed away in thy wrath: we spend our years as a tale that is told.
10 The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away.
11 Who knoweth the power of thine anger? even according to thy fear, so is thy wrath.
12 So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.
13 Return, O Lord, how long? and let it repent thee concerning thy servants.
14 O satisfy us early with thy mercy; that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.
15 Make us glad according to the days wherein thou hast afflicted us, and the years wherein we have seen evil.
16 Let thy work appear unto thy servants, and thy glory unto their children.
17 And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us: and establish thou the work of our hands upon us; yea, the work of our hands establish thou it.
90th Psalm
Amen.
DeleteEven though he had wished me dead on several occasions, I am surprised and saddened.
ReplyDeleteFreeThinke didn't hate you.
DeleteOur generation had to grow up to talk tough.
We just don't like you young guys thinking your
so smart, you think you can sell us a winded horse.
TS/WS,
DeleteThank you for that comment. It is spot on.
Well said, Duck.
DeleteHe actually respected you a great deal. In our private conversations he told me as much.
DeleteSo sad. So young. FreeThinke was definitely a "wise fisherman." I'll offer my Sunday Mass for him.
ReplyDeleteGoodbye, my friend. May you be granted Gods peace in your next life, you were granted very little in this one.
ReplyDeleteI'm dumbstruck. I had no idea....
ReplyDeleteHAMLET
DeleteO, I die, Horatio;
The potent poison quite o'er-crows my spirit:
I cannot live to hear the news from England;
But I do prophesy the election lights
On Fortinbras: he has my dying voice;
So tell him, with the occurrents, more and less,
Which have solicited. The rest is silence.
Dies
HORATIO
Now cracks a noble heart. Good night sweet prince:
And flights of angels sing thee to thy rest!
Why does the drum come hither?
March within
Enter FORTINBRAS, the English Ambassadors, and others...
I am surprised and saddened.
ReplyDeleteI was pleasantly surprised to see him comment at my blog a few days ago, a rare occasion.
The guy was brilliant.
I loved his fierce comments and will say Mass for his intention. Rest in peace.
ReplyDeleteAs most of you know, Franco/FT was a devotee of the American poet Emily Dickinson and often cited her work.
ReplyDeleteBecause I could not stop for Death – (479):
Because I could not stop for Death –
He kindly stopped for me –
The Carriage held but just Ourselves –
And Immortality.
We slowly drove – He knew no haste
And I had put away
My labor and my leisure too,
For His Civility –
We passed the School, where Children strove
At Recess – in the Ring –
We passed the Fields of Gazing Grain –
We passed the Setting Sun –
Or rather – He passed Us –
The Dews drew quivering and Chill –
For only Gossamer, my Gown –
My Tippet – only Tulle –
We paused before a House that seemed
A Swelling of the Ground –
The Roof was scarcely visible –
The Cornice – in the Ground –
Since then – 'tis Centuries – and yet
Feels shorter than the Day
I first surmised the Horses' Heads
Were toward Eternity –
Well I never. It'll take a few days to fully accept this. I can't say he was easy company, the old bastard struggled to keep a civil tongue in his head, but you know... so do I. He often inspired me to start writing a poem; maybe now he's gone I'll finish one of them.
ReplyDeleteIf you finish your poems, I'm sure he will be smiling down on you.
DeleteIf true, the blog "Who's Your Daddy" will be receiving SIGNIFICANTLY fewer comments going forward. Too bad he couldn't have stuck around long enough to see Dotard soundly defeated.
ReplyDeleteFranco speaks from the grave!
DeleteReally! I'm freaked out!
DeleteBTW, he already voted.
ReplyDeleteOh My GOD... I'm SO sorry.
ReplyDeleteRest In Peace my Friend.
ReplyDeleteWe will carry on your fight.
You will be missed, but not forgotten.
CANCER IS THE COMMON ENEMY OF
ReplyDeleteALL MANKIND.
IT RESPECTS NO RACE, RELIGION, AGE, SEX, SOCIAL POSITION, OR DEGREES OF BEAUTY OR UGLINESS, NO POLITICAL PARTY OR IDEOLOGICAL POINT OF VIEW.
EVEN THE WORST OF US SHOULD BE UNITED WITH THE BEST IN FIERCE DETERMINATION TO FIGHT CANCER, AND PRAY FOR ITS ANNIHILATION.
CANCER IS THE ONLY THING I KNOW THAT IS AS BAD AS MARXISM, WHICH, ITSELF, IS A FORM OF MORAL, SPIRITUAL, INTELLECTUAL AND PHILOSOPHICAL CANCER.
Warren, "He already voted"? That put a HUGE smile on my face, I have to admit....in all this sadness, that made me smile. GOOD FOR HIM! :-) xxx
ReplyDeleteBackward Glance, by FreeThinke
ReplyDeleteI gaze now in perpetual wonderment, grief
And sorrow at the jagged, rotting stump
Of the once-vital, arcing grandeur
Of the dear and familiar tree
That gave me shade and comfort,
While all around me weeds, thorns
Strange, stunted saplings, and bitter fruit
Litter the parched stony soil
Beneath a pitiless, gray wintery sky.
~ FreeThinke
Thank you, SF.
DeleteFT wrote so much excellent poetry. It's a pity that they have not all been collected and printed in a book.
I offered to do that for him after I had resurrected the documentary of his friend and musical mentor, edited and cleaned up the video.
DeleteFranco's poetry was trapped in documents of a defunct format, but I thought I could rescue them. We had discussed posting all of them on a blog for posterity.
SF,
DeleteI wish that had happened!
Sorry
ReplyDeleteSad news indeed. Franco had a deep seated love for his country and a powerful way of expressing it.
ReplyDeleteRIP Franco.
So sad to hear. I enjoyed many of his 'rants', piano pieces, poetry and observations not associated with today's shallow education. A lovely tribute, AOW.
ReplyDeleteBaysider,
DeleteIt was Franco's observations not associated with today's shallow education that let to the beginning of our friendship.
We didn't agree on everything, of course. But friends don't have to agree on everything.