Raphaella Palladino (July 19, 1923-May 1988)

Nee Lucile Raphaella Clingenpeel (aka Lucile Raphaella Orlando)

This is our tribute to the mother of John, Gene, Joe, Nina, and Philip Orlando on Rae’s 103rd anniversary of her birth. I’m presenting four original songs. First up comes from my poem about her, The Corridor of the Deep. The title comes from an extensive book she wrote, containing poetic writings in an old English style. I have altered them for better comprehension.

Rae was quite a skilled poet. I learned to write poetry by pulling poetic material from her book to present as individual poems, and some are mentioned in the musical tribute to her.

Here is my poem set to music: The Corridor of the Deep.

CORRIDOR OF THE DEEP

In the “Corridor of the Deep,”
Lay versifier of the time,
Trapped in hidden eons of sleep,
Birthing forth in stanzaic rhyme.

Start of journey in twenty-three,
Traveling the strophes of life,
Passing over bumps on a spree,
Down “The Road Less Worn” filled with strife.

In sweet setting of pen to page,
Raphaella strives for beauty.
Writing poems from a distant age,
Painting words in richest booty.

From underneath “The Miracle Below”,
Caught in the undertow of musical rhyme,
Shown the beauty of the sea realm glow,
Making simple grains of earth turn prime.

With “A Prisoner Be I” she did sow,
Corridor themes rung in glorious chime,
Of a prisoner trapped upon death row,
Freeing the spirit in corridor mime.

In “The Poet and the Peasant” we found,
The hidden corridor of the real self,
Buried deep beneath the burden profound,
Of a full free spirit kept on the shelf.

With soulful demise we willfully weep,
With Palladino’s “Corridor of the Deep.”
In understanding all rhymes she’s said,
Trying to wrest the world from the dead.

One of her more important themes throughout her poetry, no matter the subject, was to throw off the restrictions on the world (natural or artificial) and free the soul. Here is her brief introduction for her overall work: The Corridor of the Deep.

THE CORRIDOR OF THE DEEP INTRO

See enticing door … see the corridor.
Smell the fragrant wind … birthing souls within.
Will draw in your soul … and win mighty goal.
The corridor’s nest … it does temp the quest.

So, off on journey go … into sojourn’s bright glow,
Plant seeds of happiness … go forth with fruitfulness,
explore its winding path so deep.
Whose base will make you laugh and weep.

Rae was often admiringly astounded by the miracles of nature, as evidenced by this poem: The Miracle Below.

THE MIRACLE BELOW

Oh, little bird upon the wing.
You bring to me most everything.
The song you sing, the melody
Does tell the tale about the sea.

When cool the breeze and mild the sun,
Oh, little bird, we shall have fun!
To hear the wave upon the sand.
To reassure this promised land.

To see the sun upon the wave,
The secret be within the grave.
Beneath the waves empirical,
There is performed a miracle.

When sand grain go ‘neath cap of snow,
Then nature reaps what she does sow.
A shell of white does hide from sight.
It does bring forth a pearl so bright.

In beauty rare, in love and peace,
To reign with us in time release.
And this be love beyond compare,
To see the pearl birth in its lair.

Now once again the wave does peal,
Upon the beach come forth to steal,
Another grain, another shell.
And ‘neath the wave … all is well.

With A Prisoner Be I, Rae is saying that, no matter the physical constraints, no person nor external force can imprison a person’s mind.

A PRISONER BE I

My cell be cold, my cell be dank,
My heart be dead, my soul be rank.

I see the guard in tower high,
I see his gun, his gleam of eye.

I feel the beat of stamping feet,
I touch the wall of old concrete.

I pause and hear a bird far off,
I list’ intent. Does me it scoff?

It seems to say, “Don’t mind the wall,
Don’t mind the guard, don’t mind the fall.

Lift up your heart, lift up your soul,
Start now anew, make your life whole.

Bring peace and love, give from within,
Soon you’ll be free, new life begin.

And while you’re here, escape the mind,
Lift over all, fit of mankind.

Soar into space, among the stars,
Build your own ship, trade in those bars.

Then when you’re free, take in account,
Live true and pure, climb every mount.

Ride with the waves, weather the squalls,
Build your canoe, ride out the falls.”

And so this bird did give me life,
No longer fear this hell of strife.

My cell, my chain, the guard and gun.
No longer fear. . . .my soul has won!

The last offering, The Poet and the Peasant, suggests we all have both inside of us. The key is how to be in the poet mode as much as possible. If you think as a “Poet,” you are positive and creative. If you think as a “Peasant,” your negativity could doom you to an unhappy, unfulfilled life.

THE POET AND THE PEASANT

Poet and the peasant Ayr,
In castle high did dwell.
When behind the sturdy wall,
Another tale did tell.

Poet and the peasant share,
They shared their blend, you see.
Night did fall and shadow cast,
Alone they hold the key.

But in heart is where they knew,
Down deep to find their seed.
Bare the wall where nay they lay.
Ah! Peasant, go indeed.

Weed to flower turned by dew,
When peasant self did feed.
Peasant change to poet bold,
Whose soul at once is freed.

How they danced in step so well.
Oh, maidens seem to say,
“Beauty gift from us we send,
Till dawn be done today.”

Peasant stood in citadel.
“Feast now, my friend, tonight.
Soon it come to glory end,
Know not a single fright.

Ho! Ho! Ho! Let music weave.
From bottle flow your wine.
Gay I be to sing and dance,
Be soon a friend of mine.

I shall feast now on this eve.
My bounty all shall flow.
Peace does ripple, soothe this soul.
Remember long ago.

Give to me of what I need. . . .
Sweet peace and harmony.
Dance on girls and brush your veil.
A brush of sympathy.”

Pay the fiddler, coin indeed,
Help set this night aglow.
Poet back to peasant fly,
On morrow be our woe.

From Philip Anthony Orlando, Nina Lucile Banks, Joseph John Orlando, Eugene Dakota Orlando, and John Charles Orlando:

HAPPY 103rd!

Thank you, cousins, for participating in the tribute to your deceased family member.

July 19, 2026

Note: Feel free to explore my author site. I have chapter samples from 22 novels and two short story anthologies that I am working to get back into publication. If you would like to read more of the book, contact me at edodaks@DakotaOrlando.com, and I’ll send the manuscript to you. Start at the “Welcome” page.