Today, I celebrate 21 years of marriage to the most wonderful woman, my wife Michelle. 21 years is tiny compared to my timeline for loving her, “I will love her forever and two days.”
The poem “Forever and two days”, was written for her.
love
Just a Poem for tonight. The Darkness.
The Darkness…
The darkness of night hides our tears,
And moonlight makes our soul long for times forgotten…
The wind calls softly through the trees and brush,
And bids our hearts farewell.
Yea though, a walk on a cloudy night with the mist in our face,
Can bring forth longing so bittersweet,
As to make our eyes well up, with tears unbidden…
Where can a heart seek refuge from memory?
Not in the night,
For the night calls to us on a primeval chord of sad rhapsody…
And without permission, or hearts respond,
Robbing strength from our soul.
The darkness of night hides my return,
To a place of special memories…
Retracing steps taken in a time past, bringing forth sweet recall.
In the darkness we hear voices,
And feel the breeze upon our face…
In the darkness, the feelings return…
But only in this place.
And when in spirit I return, and stand upon this ground,
Will she be here, with unbidden tears…
Will she hear me in the sounds,
Of the darkness…
Ron Walker
Just what is a memory. Do we really know?
Memories
Just what is a memory, can you tell me what it’s like…
And if you hold it long enough, can you see it in the light?
Are they cold, or hot, or in between, are they heavy to the touch…
To be such fragile, elusive things, who would think they’d hurt so much.
For everyone, a memory, is made of many things…
Some are joy, and some are sad, and some make lovers dream.
Hot and cold, some shy, some bold, they keep us company…
And when the night is very still, some times they help us see.
They serve a purpose in our lives, they keep our hearts on track…
They help us look for days ahead, and help some not go back.
And when you can no longer touch, that which your heart desires…
You always have the memories, they burn like signal fires.
For some they have a color, be it blue, or black, or gray…
And some are kept in tender hearts, as the smell of a special day.
Of rice and song and special vows, they bring forth times gone by…
Of gravel crunching beneath the wheels, and wreaths that make you cry.
So Just what is a memory, are they whispers of where we’ve been?…
Are they here to keep us company, or remind us of a sin.
Do they hurt, or heal, or tear hearts down, I suppose there are all kinds…
So try to make good memories, since they live within our minds.
So when the sun, has gone to sleep, and evening begins to stir…
The wind blows soft, the stars are bright, and memories are heard.
You hear them calling out to you, and tugging at your heart…
And if they are the happy ones, no tears will ever start.
My memories are flavors, I’ve tasted every one…
Some were sweet, and some were not, and some still on my tongue.
I would not trade a one of them, I’ll love them to my grave…
For in my heart they burn as bright, as the day that they were made
© Ron Walker August 1998
We had a gathering and cook-out of friends and family at our place located in the country. There was conversation around the fire, about all kinds of memories everyone had. Memories of school, growing up, lost loves, and those that had passed that we had known. A few days later, while thinking back on the cook-out conversation, I decided to write this.
Winding down a Wednesday with Leonard Cohen (Traveling light)
Okay, I admit I lived under a rock at times when it came to music. Having spent my life in police work, I just didn’t get into the banks of knowledge to know who all the artists were. So it was no surprise the other day when someone mentioned Leonard Cohen. The name sounded familiar but I couldn’t place it.
I followed the link to the song and became transfixed with the unique sound. It reminds me of background music that plays in a movie during intense emotional scenes.
Cohen described the song in press materials as “A seeker hits the road and finds the joys of solitude.”
The song is a reworking of a poem that first appeared in Cohen’s 2006 poetry collection Book of Longing.
His career spanned 50 years. He passed from this world November 7, 2016, at the age of 82. This song was released on the “You want it Darker” Album, 2 months before his death. He still does a great job on the song at 82. The video contains some rare unseen footage of Cohen.
I find myself humming this day and night since hearing it. I have learned it on the guitar, but there is no way I can reproduce his unique voice for this song or even come close. Perhaps some of you find it to your liking. Either way have a great Wednesday.
Comments welcome,