I'll do a post on The Laura Flanders show later but after listening to her show tonight and after company left, I was able to spend some time with e-mails. We have the most talented people who visit this site. I can type that but you still won't get an idea of how talented they are.
They send song lyrics, poetry, short stories. It's just amazing, serious talent.
I've got permission to post two things. I want to say that the authors retain the rights to their works posted. We're under a creative commons lic. on this site but in the works that follow consider that overriden and remember that the copyrights are retained by the authors.
Copyright wasn't an issue for "I." Shyness was. And for a week now I've been wanting to share something by "I." This was the one "I" chose to share. When you read it, you'll note it's very personal and get why "I" wanted to be credited by an initial as opposed to by name. With that in mind, we're crediting the other work by an initial -- "J." "J" was also shy and I'm sorry but neither need to be shy. I (not "I"!) think they're both immensely talented.
I'm using "J"'s title because it's a hopeful title but also because it gets to something that I hope we're working towards addressing. (At least five e-mailers are already on that same page.)
"When Will It End" by "I"
I woke up crying again this morning.
Not because you left me.
But because you stayed.
When will it end?
How far are we gonna drag this dead horse?
My new mantra is divorce, divorce, divorce.
When will it end?
I wish I could walk away from you.
I don't know what keeps me here.
Your promises don't even register anymore
They just float in the right and out the left ear.
I don't argue, don't even say "I don't believe you."
I just look at you . . . and wonder when this will end.
I woke up crying again this morning.
Not because you left me
But because you stayed.
Because you stayed.
"I Was a Child When Things Mattered"
I was a child when things mattered
When dreams embraced and encompassed all
And my visions were day glow
And a better world seemed so close
I was a child when things mattered.
We'd write "make love not war" in our coloring books
And walk barefoot to the park & M.E. Moses -- oblivious to any looks.
And God, he was cool, whoever he was
And we never went anywhere without scoping the fuzz.
I was a child when things mattered
When dreams embraced and encompassed all
And my visions were day glow
And a better world seemed so close
I was a child when things mattered.
We'd play the Beatles, never the Monkees, on the turntable
And we all felt a part of that great folk rock fable
We'd scrawl Indian Power, Black Power, Power to the People across the chalk board
And believed firmly that everyone would get their own cosmic reward.
I was a child when things mattered
When dreams embraced and encompassed all
And my visions were day glow
And a better world seemed so close
I was a child when things mattered.
We'd stick Minnie & Mickey on the mirror and refrigerator
And fringes were cool but love beads were greater
We'd sing Mamas and Papas songs when we'd got the tea jars out
Coz Petulia was a nowhere downer but Mama Michelle was far out
And we felt peace and love and that there was hope above
And a good vibration could get you through a rough ride and there was more than enough
And there was more than enough
And there was more than enough.
Then the war machine took a breather and we put away the white flag and feather
And thought disco, the great equalizer, was going to keep us together
And it did send the racists running with a thumpity thump
But somehow a love-ins an all in, but a bump's just a bump.
Then John Lennon was shot though Nixon was not
And it's hard to watch the flower rot.
I was a child when things mattered
When dreams embraced and encompassed all
And my visions were day glow
And a better world seemed so close
I was a child when things mattered.
