The following is an obituary written by Susan Tyler. Please feel free to circulate this notice to those that may have known Clark and all he lived for.

BORN PAUL CLARK PHILLIPS

IN WARRENSBURG
IN A HOUSE THAT STILL IS A HOUSE WE VISITED A WHILE AGO

(UNLIKE THE POEM BY FROST BUT SOMEHOW AN ECHO)

RAISED IN MOUNTAINS AND WOODS AND SOCIAL CONSCIOUSNESS
IN KITCHENS WHERE FOOD NOURISHED BODIES, MINDS AND PASSIONS

LIFE WAS THE GOAL FOR HIM IN THE FOREST AND THE FIELDS

COMMUNITY WAS THE GOAL FOR MEETING
COOPERATION HIS WAY TO GET THERE

CONSENSUS DESIRED

COMPROMISE – ONLY AS A MEANS TO THAT CONSENSUS
NOT GIVING UP OR IN

HE MET PEOPLE AND LEARNED THEM AND LOVED THEM FOR WHAT THEY DID
AND HE STOOD UP AND JOINED AND TOOK THEM WITH HIM

AND SO
(BESIDES HIS DAUGHTER, HIS SISTER HIS BROTHERS AND THEIR FAMILIES HIS GRANDCHILDREN HIS PARENTS HIS AUNTS HIS STEP CHILDREN HIS PARTNER)

AND SO
HIS HUGE EXTENDED FAMILY GREW HE NEVER FORGOT ANYONE

A LOVER TENDER AND WARM
FIERCE SHELTERING HEAT IN HIS EMBRACE

HE DROVE A TRACTOR

HE PLANTED VEGETABLES POTATOES FOOD AND IDEAS

HE CUT TREES – TO LET IN THE LIGHT -
(AND MAKE A LIVING BY THE WAY) BY THAT WAY

REGENERATING ACADIA

HARD KEPT SILENCE WAS A TOOL HE USED TO BARGIN
THEN A QUESTION GENTLY OPENING THE DOOR TO ARBITRATION

YES AND NO WERE WORDS HE COULD SAY

AT THE END OF THE PAGE

LOST IN THE TURNING

 

A POWERFUL FORCE INTERRUPTED

HEART STOPPED
BREATH STOPPED

STRENGTH GIVEN OUT

STRENGTH

GIVEN           OUT

DISTRIBUTED

SPREAD BY LOVE

SPREAD WITH LOVE     AND COMMITMENT

“HERE THERE EVERYWHERE”

THE SUN THE SOIL THE RAIN A DOUBLE RAINBOW IN THE MIDDLE OF THE
ROAD
THE FLASH OF A YELLOW WARBLER AN EAGLE FLIES
THE TURKEY VULTURE HITCHES A RIDE ON THE AIR STREAM

HIS BLUE EYES TRACKING

A UNIVERSE FOR HIS LOVER TO BE LOST AND FOUND IN

 

A memorial service and visioning session for the future of Whaelghinbran Farm will be held on July 15th from 12:00 – 5:00 at the farm. Please feel free to bring a dish as the event will be pot luck. In lieu of sending flowers please consider making a contribution to Community Forests International by visiting http://www.forestsinternational.org/support. Contributions will also go to support the New Brunswick Community Land Trust.