Carolina Moon

Sweet Carolina moon poised
just so.  By morning
star dew overflows to Earth.

As Gone As I Can Be

You said you'd always love me
Until the day you die
And I would always answer
With an oh-so-solemn sigh

You said you'd always need me
Without me you'd be blue
You said I really send you
And I said you send me, too.

    You send me, Baby
    And I'm just as gone as I can be
    You really send me
    I'm just as gone as I can be.

Then just last night you called me
And said you must be true
You said you'd found an other
And you worried what I'd do.

Well, yes, it's true I wanted you
And we had lots of fun
But I guess that I should tell you now
You weren't the only one

    Don't worry, Baby,
    I'm as gone as I can be
    Don't worry 'bout me,
    I'm just as gone as I can be

You said there is no fury
Like a woman scorned
Or maybe you should worry
That I do no more than mourn

I ain't chasin', I ain't cryin',
I won't sit around and whine,
Cause when it comes to missing you
I haven't got the time.

    Don't tell me goodbye,
    I'm just as gone as I can be
    No time for so-long
    I'm just as gone as I can be.
   


copyright, 2011
Fay Campbell

I know, I know

I know, I know
But, even so
You don't have to say it again,
Just let it go.

Ah, you and I
We come and we go
That's how it's always been
I know, I know

I held you in my heart
I held you in my soul
Til theres nothing left of me to hold to
No place left to go.

You say you can't hold me now
Though I just need to feel
I know it's over now
And I'm keeping it real

You say you've found someone
With guidance from above
Well, what does that make me, my friend
What does that make our love.

(ha) I know, I know.


copyright, 2011
Fay Campbell

Sax Man

No one ever told me there'd be men like you
I never read a book that told me what to do
When the music from the saxaphone
Won't leave your melting heart alone
And cuts from fifty jagged words are healed with only two,
For you.

Play me something, Sax Man, play me something sweet.
Surrounded by the sound I feel almost complete
I just let go, let too much show
I know, I know, I know you know
So play it low.

Do it to me Sax Man, play me one more time
Let this mouth of mine now be your reed.
Do it to me Sax Man, play me smooth and slow
I promise you that I'll be every key you need

Is it the brass or my skin your skilled fingers bless?
Is it the music or your breath I feel my neck caress?
Help me, Man, I'm falling, and I can't find the floor.
Your music - our music keeps me wanting more.

No one ever told me there were men like you.
But now I could write a book about just what to do
When the music from the saxaphone
Won't leave my melting heart alone
And cuts from fifty jagged words are healed with only two,
For you,
For you.



copyright, 2011
Fay Campbell

Freight Train

He spread his coat on the gravel pile,
Not comfortable, but the boy had style
And all the while,
Just feet away,
Roared a freight train.
It was a long, slow train.
And afterard though pouring rain
We ran to his house along the tracks,
And made love again,
And again,
For no other reason than because we could.

As light and inconsequential it seemed from the start
I must admit he broke my heart
Probably for no other reason than because he could.

Golden Potentialities

He was my first,
(Well sort of, there was a technicality.)
And living as we did on neighboring islands in a sea of corn and bean fields,
We found a tractor path.
It was summer and there was no light except the moon
And millions of stars.
We were awkward - powered by his hormones, my love, and millions of stars.
And afterward, silently, we walked hand in hand down the path surrounded by corn just tasseling
Not knowing what the appropriate thing to say might be.
Our love grew as fast as the corn that summer.
And we became less awkward,
And we made up things to say,
And the ears showed golden silk,
And there were always millions of stars, enough to make us drunk with the sky.
The leaves turned to brown paper that rattled in the breeze,
The corn to gold,
And still the stars shown in my eyes, keeping me from seeing.

I went away to school.  There were too many lights to see the stars and he found out one girls was pretty much as good as an other.
Our last conversation on the phone, I told him a white lie.
And he said, "You know, that would have ruined my life."
I couldn't even cry.
But now I cry once a year in late May when I pick a wildflower and toss it into a readied field
Full of golden potentialities.


copyright, 2011
Fay Campbell

Love Song to Leonard Cohen

 It would certainly help if you were familiar with some Leonard Cohen lyrics. Actually, I'm hopeing that he'll read this and realize that all his life I'M what he's been missing.  Of course, it will break Eric Clapton's heart when that happens, but hey, Eric's had his turn with me.  Now it's Leonard's lucky day.

Look at me, Leonard, when I’m naked in my way

Not for one last time, with filmed vision every day.

Look upon me tenderly and look upon me long

And you’ll know that I’m half crazy just because of a few songs.
You hurt me with democracy
And your silky smooth soft honesty

    (Using lint the gaps to fill in

    From Buddha, Christ or Dylan
    Mix it in with innate wisdom

    You don’t even know you own)

But it’s ok and it is righteous

You are speaking to the rest of us
Your eyes and voice I feel so very deep.

And I’ll love you by the river, in the water and the reeds

Until we’re both swept under by the passion of our deeds
Some holy dove above us moves
What water isn’t holy, too?
And all the breaths we’ll breathe are now so few.
I’m sorry that we didn’t meet ‘fore my youth and beauty fleeted

I’m nothing if not a muse you never needed.

Love Song to Leonard Cohen

Look at me, Leonard, when I’m naked in my way

Not for one last time, but with filmed vision every day.

Look upon me tenderly and look upon me long

And you’ll know that I’m half crazy just because of a few songs.
You hurt me with democracy
And your silky smooth soft honesty

    (Using lint the gaps to fill in

    From Buddha, Christ or Dylan
    Mix it in with innate wisdom

    You don’t even know you own)

But it’s ok and it is righteous

You are speaking to the rest of us
Your eyes and voice I feel so very deep.

And I’ll love you by the river, in the water and the reeds

Until we’re both swept under by the passion of our deeds
Some holy dove above us moves
What water isn’t holy, too?
And all the breaths we’ll breathe are now so few.
I’m sorry that we didn’t meet ‘fore my youth and beauty fleeted

I’m nothing if not a muse you never needed.

Moon

She is round ripe orangeyellowgold
Beautiful and shy
Hiding behind the trees

Moon Women

Some women gently hold the glow and shimmer of Moon in their eyes.
They draw circles in the sand with unshod toes while their breath embraces Moon -
Gold or silver, round or crescent.

In every phase they know Moon and She knows them.

These women are knowers.
Phoebe, Serene, Artimis.

It's time to know, Greek girl,
You are a Goddess, too.

Spinning

Around your life, so tightly wound,

The thread you spin of what is left of you,

Keeps everything and everyone in place.

Exactly the correct place.

No room for mistakes or tears

Too many rely on your perfection.

When will it be your time?

The time for the thread you spin to create something just for you.

Perhaps a shawl to keep out the cold,

And on which to dry your tears.

Cider

My recent trip to England inspired me to write this socio-politically significant piece


Cider

Pour me another pint of cider
Sweet elixer from the tree
God knows there's nothing wrong with apples
And cider's very good for me

Pour me another pint of cider
Shiny, warming liquid gold
Happy, hardy rounds of laughter
Sing with every story told.

Pour me another pint of cider
Wholesome sunshine from a glass
And don't dare say I've had too many
Till I fall down on my ass.

I Scream*

You wait just one mile away.
I hear you. I feel you calling me.
I need you tonight even though I know I’ll regret our secret union
Each time I look in the mirror.


*icecream

Blow My Mind :)

(I woke up this morning having just dreamed this country-western song.  This is especially weird since I don't listen to C-W music and I've never dreamed a whole song before.  Please realize that even in the dream, I was singing it tongue in cheek - which is a difficult way to sing, even in a dream - and in the dream it was obviously a very naughty song.)


Blow My Mind


If you've had a chance to change your mind
I don't mind to wait in line
Cause what you've got's so very fine
Darlin' you just blow my mind.

Darlin' you just blow my mind.

Well I don't need to make you mine
And I'm not sayin' for all time
But I think it would be a crime
To miss it while we're in our prime

Oh, Darlin' you just blow my mind

So give me just a little sign
And Baby, I'll turn on  dime
And I will always have the time
Cause I love the way you ring my chimes

Oh, Darlin' you just blow my mind

I reckon it's about sublime
And I ain't religious most the time
But what you do's about divine
So come on, Darlin' blow my mind

Darlin, you just blow my mind.

Bad

I'm tired of whining about being tired.
Afraid to go to work, afraid of being fired.
Who said I was entitled to just feel good?
Who said things would work out as they should?

This isn't a fairy tale where the good guys win
Too often it's over before it begins
And those of us who work are left with the shit
Of those of us who choose to quit.

It ain't me, Babe.  Sure as hell ain't me.
Some things I've seen I can't unsee
They take up space within my brain
And I'm left with only jumbled pain.

Give me beads, prayers ready made
To make my sick frustrations fade.
Bring me a god to give relief
And suspend my disbelief.

Home Schooled by Mother

When I was a child, I rested my chin on a smooth flat stone, warmed by the sun, and I became part of the tall grass zoo.

I was held in the strong arms of the maple trees and the leaves taught me how to turn my face to the sun.

I ate cherries, apples, pears, rhubarb, plums, grapes washed only by the rain
and the fruit and the rain and I were the same.

I lay flat on my back in the grass and watched the stars and the fireflies and I began to glow and twinkle.

Eagles taught me to soar over the river by becoming unseen therms.

Beneath skirt of the tall spruce tree I sat on a carpet of flat brown needles during a gentle rain and I became the smell of pine.

I buried my face in lilacs - purple, violet, white - and learned to giggle with their soft power.

I sat hugging my knees in an open field in rain that stung while green and white lightening pulled at my skin and thunder shook my chest.  I knew.

There is no such thing as death. 
Nothing left to fear. 
I won't return to the Earth. 
I'm already here.

If you want to participate, check out the GMan

http://g-man-mrknowitall.blogspot.com/

A long weekend yawns ahead

My old dog snores beside me on the bed

She dreams of pain-free days of jumping high.

Hearing sharp and clear brown eyes

Her white muzzle twitches in a smile

I let her sleep to run another mile

Paws hint of hopping through the grass

Dreaming puppy days long past.

Going Where I've Been

I know, I know
But even so
You don't have to say it again
Just let it go

Ah, you and I
We come and we go
That's how it's always been
I know, I know

Never enough time
To totally heal
I know you'll go again
I'm just keeping it real.

  I hold you in my heart
  I hold you in my soul
  There's nothing left of me
  No place left to go

Just hold me now, my friend
I know, I know
It breaks me every time
But I won't let it show

I know, I know
I don't have to say it again
You know, you know
I'll go where I've been.

She Still Chooses

She chose those.
Those clothes, those shows, those beaux,
Heaven knows she didn't do without beaux.

Now, nearer the close than the beginning,
She remembers losing more than winning,
Never looked at it as sinning,

Knew there'd always be more innings,

And she always left them grinning.

And it looks as if it's true
Though she really never knew
If one could really live as two
And be happy as they do,
Together all their whole lives through.

What is it that she hadn't done

While laughing fast toward the sun?

She often thought she'd found the one

But soon as it had begun,
She called it done.
Could not maintain two as one.

She could not let an other in

She'd never lose, and never win.

So left alone in silent din

Too tired to begin again

She fixes photos with a pin

She takes her memories one by one

And watches them fade in the sun

Too tired, and too wise to run

And satisfied with all the fun

She wonders if it's all now done.

A tap upon the rusted gate!

Might there be such thing as fate?

Perhaps it isn't all too late

Perhaps there is someone who'll wait

While her internal storm abates

The storm now blows with much less fury

And she's in much less a hurry

And older vision, clearly blurry

Sees its truth, is judge and jury

Knows there's no answer to life's query.

Why not once more!  What's there to lose?

Maybe together, but not fused

Not so close that we might bruise.

Not for answers, just for clues

Always more for us to choose.

I like the way the rhythm bumps the reader a couple of times in this one.

Therapy

It doesn't matter if I feel it or not.
It's all about the paper work now,
No one asks me, "Whom did you help today?"
It doesn't matter if I healed or harmed,
As long as I write it correctly.

But now and then,
Just often enough to stimulate the reward centers in my cynical brain
Just often enough to keep the addiction to making a difference alive
I know.  And I feel it again.

The Buddha

All things change, he said
Use this for awakening
But this too, shall pass

Zeke

A puff of smoke
A gentle breeze
Can't hold them in my hands

Sparkling stars
On summer seas
The writing in the sand

If I could make this world anew
I would include them all
And I'd include our brief affair
The ride was worth the fall

Thinking 'Bout That Man

I've been thinking 'bout that man
It was oh, so long ago
But now and then when the music's just right
And my man's out of sight
I  just gotta let it go.

I've been thinking 'bout that man
And how every single day
Made me laugh, made me cry
Lord it didn't matter why
Tears were never far away.

   And people asked me why
   I would follow stage to stage
   Like I didn't have my own
   Just one line upon his page

   But I didn't hear their words
   And I never missed a chance
   And I breathed in every note
   And in my heart I danced

When I think about that man
And the nights he sang for me
That old feeling's back again
And my heart remembers when
That man was all that I could see.