Category Archives: song

to catherine

©

i remember you ahead of me as you walked up that ol’ hill

thought i saw you dancing, you never were one to sit still

every song my voice is calling you saying please don’t die

every dream where you appear to me there’s that glimmer in your eye

impatience in your sigh

and there’s this child . she’s got your rumble in her soul

she’s always moving, but won’t be told where to go

a will just like a freight train . her love pours down like steady rain

and those same blue eyes

at times when you inspired me to more than i believed

somehow my feet kept up with yours, my pain reactors were deceived

it’s all that i can do these days to reach out and reclaim

that balance of my sorrow with the joy i feel

when calling out your name

this child …

i left you in frustration, misunderstanding what you said

the pain that wracked my body had made confusion in my head

we worked our last mistakes out through the mail and telephone

and i thought i’d see you often after i heard that dial tone

 

a daughter was delivered during that time i spent with you

i knew that she was coming but didn’t know what she would do

this wonder that i speak of, she is precious to behold

i hope that you are watching, as in your image she unfolds

there’s this child …

 

87 for catherine freer . when ruby was born

 

creek mary’s blood

©

red womin

pain runs from those ancient eyes

strong as a tree grows tall, you thought you’d seen it all

but the white man has brought one more surprise

red womin

you hold your grandchild in your arms

she didn’t feel the pain, but all her blood’s been drained by the white man’s charms

moved in upon you without warning, they pushed you from your land

you could’ve given up or run, but you chose to take a stand

and they left your warrior lying dead beside you with a treaty in his hand

 

black womin

your children labor in the sun

you look to the sky and plea for the day you can all be free

but the white man holds a gun

black womin

from dawn ’til dark you work the fields

then when the night time comes, the white man takes you in his arms

just to save your life, you yield

somehow you have no freedom, you’ll work until you die

dying won’t come easy . you’ll suffer and you won’t know why

all your hopes are for your children’s children : they’ll escape the white man’s lie

 

 

80s after reading creek mary’s blood by dee brown

 

mister

©

you can beat your wife, mister . you can beat your children, too

you can even take her life, mister . it will all come back to you

you can hassle us at work, mister . even make us do your chores

you can try to take our job, mister . we won’t let you close the door

we are women, and you can’t keep us down

 

you can line us up for battle, mister . but you’ll sit and watch us bleed

put a gun into my hand, mister . we won’t fight for what we do not need

you can build the biggest bombs, mister . send them flying through the air

when you’re left here feeling sad, mister, there’ll be no one left to care

we are your children, and we don’t need your wars

 

winter park early 80s

 

 

breath of the wind

©

i am a leaf

you are a breath of the wind

that keeps me floating above the routine of the earth

i am a leaf

i am a bird

you are a breath of the wind

that keeps me flying in the clouds above the mountain peaks

i am bird

flying . flying

i am a tree

you are a breath of the wind

that keeps me dancing to the music in my veins

i am a tree

i am a spirit

you are a breath of the wind

 

80s

 

runaway skis

 

©

i got my hat . got my warm shoes

that white stuff is falling but i still have the blues

i can’t go out and play

the snow’s in colorado, but my skis are in l.a.

i look in the basement, check the lost & found

write it up in the want ads but it’s still got me down

looks like those boards found their own set of keys

doesn’t anybody know what happened to my ol’ runaway skis?

 

that fine white powder is piled up to my nose

the driest and deepest and fastest as snow goes

it’s academic . if snow was water we’d all drown

then you call me up, jackie and tell me my skis are in your home town

i travel ’round the country, i travel far and wide

but i still don’t know how my skis got to be on your side

i like california but l.a.’s got the wrong kind o’ snow

so won’t you pack up those skis and point them to colorado

 

80s

 

 

 

the roots are waiting

©

the mist is rolling in . i can feel it on my skin
there’s nothing we can do but watch the new season begin
the sun is acting shy . i think that i know why
the clouds are gathering together up there in the sky
********
they seem to have a plan that’ll change the shape of land
i’m starting to remember this is how the floods began
with cumolo strength gain, drizzle turns to rain
then nimbus makes her entry known, creating my refrain
********
do you see the clouds accumulating?
are you sad that summer’s nearly gone?
don’t you know that all the roots are waiting?
without rain we would’ve never heard this song
********
longer nights are here . it’s nothing we should fear
more time to gaze at twinkling stars . we see this every year
trees are changing hue : it happens right on cue
as clouds begin to hide the sky, the colors make the view
********
did you notice the equinox approaching
as we floated down the river in the sun?
chilly air of autumn is encroaching
and the watering of roots has just begun
********
the mist is rolling in .. .. .. .. ..
the mist is rolling in .. .. .. .. ..
the mist is rolling in .. .. .. .. the roots are waiting

© 10.13.24

on that train

 

if i was a young man again
would i put myself on that train
that took me from you

when we were young and in love
i knew it was forever
during the war as a soldier
i waited for your letters
that didn’t come

you must have sent letters it seems
or at least you did in my dreams

when i returned, i married
we raised up a child
my daughter is grown and my loving wife
long since has died

and i think of you

 

drummer in my living room

 

©

 

there’s a drummer in my living room
playin’ music all day long
and a singer always steps right in
makes up words to a new song

before you know it, the house is rockin’
people dancing outside the door
then somebody hears a knockin’
it’s the police . they’re sayin’
you can’t play that music any more

we said hey, policman step right in
we’ve got nothin’ to hide
if you really want to come into my house
you’ve got to leave that gun outside

don’t you know that ol’ guy did it
left his gun outside the door
after he came in and danced awhile
he didn’t need that stupid ol’ gun
… any more

there’s a drummer in my living room
playin’ music all day long
a singer always steps right in
makes up words to a new song

before you know it the house is rockin’
people dancing outside the door
then somebody hears a knockin’
it’s the police again, he says
can i come in and dance some more?!

 

©

 

vivian

 

©

oh vivian, little trevor
you came in the hard way
blazing a trail before you
they named you for the storm
but your heart is full of sweetness
tantrums filled with passion
the love that comes out from you
will keep your folks warm

when the clouds gather over head
thunder rumbles in my ear
the two of you come to my mind
as the storm gathers near
then the sun peaks ’round the edge
of those clouds that did deliver you
i remember our happiness
when trevor made it to two

vivian
big brother trevor
i wish for you a good life
lazy summer sunshine
bluegrass in the rain

when those clouds come to greet you
you’ll answer with a smile
stand up and say i am the storm
then dance on down the lane

vivian, little trevor
oh, vivian, big brother trevor

oh, vivian

©

abel

©

 

 

mind goin’ a million miles an hour
stephanie, stephanie
it must be the battery
stephanie, it must be, y’know
it’s run by electricity

how’d you know that, son?
that a battery might make it run
that a battery holds ‘lectricity

did somebody explain?
or is it just your amazing brain
running rampant as it’s always done

but no
it’s the watch in the video tray
that you or teak put in to play
oh, abel

 

mind goin’ a million miles an hour
stephanie, stephanie
mario runs up the slide
stephanie, he’s got to go
up over the great divide

how’d you know that, son?
which direction mario needs to run
just exactly where he needs to hide

did you write it all down?
his escape route in monster town?
you had a mind like the rising sun

and now
my heart is breaking to see you go
where the sky meets the fallen snow
abel

 

mind goin’ a million miles an hour
stephanie, stephanie
i wish you had seen me change
stephanie, i fell in love
with the blessed high mountain range

how’d you do that, son?
go from anger to so much fun
becoming one with the wilderness

did somebody teach you?
how did you know to push on through?
you’re heart wide open to everyone

my boy
we’re so thankful we had you here
all i can do is shed a tear
abel