2025 Competition Entry:

Edith Writes by Dot Reiser

Genre

Folk

Artist

Co-writer(s)

no

Performer(s)

Dot Reiser vocals
Werner Alsanger guitar and virtual instruments

Description

We raised a family across the street from an elderly woman named Edith.
She lived to 103
What was key to her longevity?
At Edith’s funeral when her family read from her diary, I got my answer.
Edith wrote in her diary each day, and she began every entry with these three words:
A wonderful day.
World War 1, World War 2, The Great Depression…No matter, She was grateful.
Edith’s daughter’s name was Delight. Delight moved in to help her mother in her last years, and like Edith, Delight was a grateful person, always waving, cheerful, and industrious.
We were made better by knowing these women, powerful in the quite way of gratitude. I wrote this song for Delight’s 96th birthday party last year, it is called, “Edith Writes”.

Bio

Dot Reiser is a singer-songwriter-storyteller from Westerly, RI and Lake Wales, FL. who stumbled into the craft of songwriting at midlife, and fell in love. Her goal at that time was to write 30 songs, and now her catalogue surpasses 50 original works, 30 of which are produced recordings and four in the works. Her style of melody-writing varies, as each song spontaneously unravels its own personality. Dot’s lyrics are intentional, looking into today’s world in ways that ask questions, invite conversation, and bridge divisions. Her song, “The Echo Chamber” won “Best Song” for the Braver Angels 2023 National Convention. (Braver Angels is a growing movement seeking to soften the political divide in our nation through arts and civil discourse. See www.braverangels.org). Dot’s songs, “The High Road” and “My Dream” earned two wins for her in the NSAI (Nashville Songwriters Association International) Chapter Challenges, Orlando Chapter. Her albums, “Out of the Driveway”, ”Paint Me a Song”, and current, growing collection of singles, “Quilted: a colorful patchwork of original songs and the stories that stitch them”, are all findable on your favorite music streaming sites by searching @DotReiser. Musical performance for Dot is forging its own unique path, much like with her songwriting. She sings by day in Skilled Nursing and Memory Care facilities to witness the miracles that songs provide in memory recapture and expression. From this work has come the biggest “Ah-Ha” moment for Dot, recognizing that music is all about connection, regardless of the type of audience, and music can be used to make the world a less isolating place. Finally, Dot finds inspiration and direction in this expression: “There’s such a beautiful thing that goes on with music when you have good intentions.” — Terri Hendrix. Find out more about Dot Reiser at www.ReisUpStudio.com.

Lyrics

writes in her diary most every day
And every entry starts out just the same
A wonderful day
A good drying day
The sheets ablaze with sunlight
In puffs of wind so high and bright
It’s a wonderful day
Edith writes

Edith writes of day trips up to weekapaug
Delight and Edith playing in the sand
The ocean like a Diamond shines
The autumn birds form chevron lines
It’s a wonderful day
Edith writes

Then she sets aside her pen
And whispers to the skies

You didn’t have to make it pretty
Was it all for my delight
My eyes to see
My mind to fathom
My heart for gratitude
All fit together just to honor you
On this wonderful day
Edith prays

Delight sits now in that window seat where Edith was
And waves out to my children as they pass
Their day begins with cheerfulness
And in their hearts they get a sense of that
Wonderful day
Delight waves

Then they look out to the meadow
And whisper to the skies

You didn’t have to make it pretty
Was it all for my delight
My eyes to see
My mind to fathom
My heart for gratitude
All fit together just to honor you
On this wonderful day
My children pray

Like clothes along the line
Gratitude
Continues over time
Gratitude
From written words, to waving hands
to childs smiles returned
It’s gratitude that earns that wonderful day
It’s gratitude that earns that wonderful day

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