Month: April 2016

Other Side of Somewhere

a moment

drops

curls from the cloud

watched it fall

seep

the hard earth

drunk it down

in thirst

past frozen nights

the fury of the wind

fists of rumbled rain

punching in the dark

flash after flash

pressed to the pane

the smallest drop

saturates the soul

leaving body to bone

no matter how old

or how the sun sets

and rises

in the room

light and bright

and beautiful

she stood in them all

and found something to do

something brand new

took a brush

a pail of paint

and kneeled at the corner

behind the metal door

a shade of winter white

for the child

who went missing there

that night

when the moon was out

and about

shining light and bright

and beautiful

out there on the other side

of somewhere

TL

Kenny Chesney

came to town

and played a song

and stripped it bare

a simple verse

that turned a stadium

into a single seat

“Drinkin’ was forbidden in my Christian country home

I learned to play the flattop on them good ol’ Gospel songs

Then I heard about the barrooms just across the Georgia line

Where a boy could make a livin’ playin’ guitar late at night

Had to learn about the ladies; too young to understand

Why the young girls fall in love with the boys in the band

When the boys turn to music, the girls just turn away

To some other guitar picker in some other late night place

Yeah, I held on to my music; I let the ladies walk away

Took my songs and dreams to Nashville and then on to L. A.

Up to New York City, all across the USA

I lost so much of me, but there’s enough of me to say …

that my Home’s in Alabama, no matter where I lay my head

My home’s in Alabama, Southern born and Southern bred

What keeps me goin’? I don’t really know.

Can’t be the money, the Lord knows I’m always broke

Could it be the satisfaction of bein’ understood

When the people really love ya and let you know when it’s good

Well I’ll speak my Southern English just as natural as I please

I’m in the heart of Dixie, Dixie’s in the heart of me

And someday when I make it, when love finds a way

Somewhere high on Lookout Mountain, I’ll just smile with pride and say …

that my Home’s in Alabama, no matter where I lay my head

My home’s in Alabama, Southern born and Southern bred”

(song written by Randy Owen of Alabama)

TL

“Great Expectations”

movies split

in half

fell asleep

on the border

but she stayed up

past the credits

next day

before coffee

she’s asking

don’t you have the book somewhere

the book …

The Book ….

THE BOOK …

did I hear her right

wipe the sand outta my eyes

head to the stack by my bed

pull out the hardcover

run my hand over the etching

close my eyes

thank you … Charles Dickens

and then she’s turning pages

folding back chapters

still sitting in the car

reading …

an hour goes by

a revised edition is checked out

and comes home in the backpack

she reads the whole thing

buys a new copy at the store

talks about the main character

and writes about him

as if she weren’t nine …

“Pip is a generous, kind, loyal, forgiving person.

In tough times, he stayed calm and kind.

Even around horrible people he stayed good.

He loves Estella,

but Estella is taught to be bitter and cold from Miss. Havisham.

Miss Havisham was broken by a man she loved,

but he only loved her for her money.

He sent a letter canceling the wedding at 20 minutes to nine.

Estella always loved Pip but never showed it.

In the end, Pip wants to marry Biddy, but he finds out Joe just married her.

He goes to Miss Havisham’s house after she passed and found Estella in the garden.

Then they finally fall in love and admit it.”

TL