Archive for the ‘#poetry’ Category

New Years Resolution

Posted: January 6, 2024 in #poetry, Holiday, My Tunes, Poetry
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I don’t make New Years Resolutions. I never have. The whole concept seems ill directed. Like celebrating Valentine’s Day. Why would you do that only once a year? Don’t you love them all the time? Then show it all the time.

Why focus on making resolutions to do things better on one day? Each waking day is an opportunity. But as usual, I digress. This year I have made a resolution, and it happened to be on New Years Day. I realized that along with all the other adjectives I use to describe myself here and elsewhere, (musician, performer, writer, engineer, geek, you get it) I have always been a caretaker.

I take care of things in my job. I take care of animals and plants. I try to solve relationship problems I see my friends sliding into. I took care of my younger brother when he had no more fight left in him from years of cancer treatment. 

I helped my mother through her decision to deny treatment for her cancer to the end. Just last November my older sister died after an illness no one knew of but it decided she was a good home. She survived what I call a year of medical torture as things started shutting down from the massive doses of antibiotics needed to keep her alive when it hit. I have never seen anyone more relieved to know that the government ‘would let them die’. I hope to never see that again, to be truthful.  Even writing that sentence makes me feel bitter.

Along with all my other titles it occurs to me that maybe above all of them, I am a Caretaker. So, from one Caretaker to another, and to all the Caretakers out there, I offer my song as a suggestion for your next resolution;

Caretaker                MSK 12 31 2023 

A houseplant with a lot of sunlight
Needs a little water to make it grow.
Doesn’t take but a minute,
And you can make it so.

Walking down the sidewalk shopping
There’s another piece of trash on the ground.
Bend down to pick it up
Without looking around.

Caretaker. Caretaker.
Taking care of everyone.

Most animals seem to just know you
They see what I do; the look in your eyes.
You calm them down
And the owners always act surprised.

Life’s a simple dedication
Pass it on, give more than you take.
When Life flashes before you
It stops on every mistake.

So much to do if you stop and care
Lately, you’ve been feeling a little worn-thin.
Do you want to save the world?
You got to start from within.

    Caretaker.      Caretaker.
    Take care of yourself:    Have some fun.

I have decided to take care of myself for a while. To do something fun here and there. It is OK. I still care. But until I can recharge my internal batteries, I will not have the energy for anyone else’s emergency. I am old and emotionally exhausted. I just don’t know what would fun be anymore. I will have to figure that out. 

The Feast

Posted: December 29, 2023 in #poetry, My Tunes, Poetry
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There are things that will grow
In the bottom of the well,
If you let them.
Angry monsters can live
Deep within your heart
Only if you them.

If I were given more time
I’d probably throw it all away.

Nothing is guaranteed,
Not in the least.
Sometimes they go out hunting;
But end up as the Feast.

Spent years building bridges,
Should have started digging,
A place to hide.
Scraped together a fortune
Now there’s nothing to buy.
No place left to hide.

Nothing is guaranteed,
Not in the least.
Sometimes they go out hunting;
But end up as the Feast.

If I were given more time
I’d probably throw it all away.
Until I’ve wasted my last dime
Safe bet I’ll continue to play
And throw it all away.

Tired of Waiting for the Sun

Posted: November 26, 2023 in #poetry, My Tunes
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Looking in the wrong place
Always at the wrong time.
Following right behind confusion.
She’s an old friend of mine.

Defending when I do the wrong things
In the right way.
Only doing the right thing
If I was paid.

Tired of Waiting for the Sun to shine.
I will light a giant torch and be on our way.
Always depended on friends of mine.
I have often been a burden,
But not today.

The answers seem hidden. Only if you look away.

I used to be the enhancer, the decorator.
The fixer with the mixer.
Never uncertain.
Another man behind the curtains.

Science, not magical.
Mystical, not theatrical:
You will not hear me.
You will never see me.
I am the no one, behind everyone.

Tired of Waiting for the Sun to shine.
I will light a giant torch and be on our way.
Always depended on friends of mine.
I have often been a burden,
But not today. The answers seem hidden.
Only if you look away.

Defending doing the wrong things
In the right way.
Only doing the right thing
If I was paid.

Defending when I do the wrong things
In the right way.
Only doing the right thing
If I was paid.

Tired of Waiting for the Sun to shine.
I will light a giant torch and be on our way.
Always depended on friends of mine.
I have often been a burden,
But not today. The answers seem hidden.
Only if you look away.

A Thousand Ways

Posted: October 29, 2023 in #poetry, Poetry
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Even the shortest journey
Has A Thousand Ways to stumble.
You fall, you Get Up.
There’s no need to be humble.

Years of effort and planning
Have A Thousand Ways to crumble.
The clues are all there;
Just listen to the rumble.

There’s only one way to build
And A Thousand Ways to fall down.
Lessons, from mistakes.
From cave, village and town.

History has shown us man
Still A Thousand Ways a clown.
You just left her there;
The bride in her wedding gown.

We tell our children all the rules
With A Thousand Ways we ignore.
Terrible choices
Eons and eons before.

Years from now you will find yourself,
Reliving more than A Thousand Ways.

A million decisions from billions of choices
Each one sings a melody, like a line from a song;
There is only one way to do it right
But A thousand Ways to do it wrong.

When you do all that you can
In A Thousand Ways you restore.
You will be happy when you look back
And see so much left to explore.

“The Dream” Dolby Atmos Mix

Posted: October 22, 2023 in #poetry, music technology, My Tunes, technology
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Again using Dolby Atmos for the spatial audio mix, I have another song for you to listen to. Using headphones will give you the best dimensional effect, though the speakers will also reflect some clarity and each instrument or vocalist will be heard a bit easier and clearer – more distinct.

I imagine this to be similar to being in a small crowded room with lots of people talking. It is hard to make out any of the conversations going on around you. Now, Imagine the room much bigger and everyone spaced further away from each other and you. Now you can hear conversations and know who is laughing or singing. Something like that. Instead of mixing so all the instruments are ‘sitting on top of each other’ in the stereo field, the listener can be part of – or completely removed from the sound scape. We can now give the listener the illusion of sound coming from anywhere in the ‘room’ we create.

Here is another song I wrote and recorded recently called “The Dream”. The spatial effects in Atmos do indeed, give a new dreamy sound to the mix.

MIDIMike

Is There Nothing More?

Posted: September 16, 2023 in #poetry, Opinions and Observations, Poetry
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After reaching the summit, so many years of toil,
Is There Nothing More?
Gravitational waves have been solved for decades.
Is There Nothing More?
Each Olympic Athlete fails to break the record.
Is There Nothing More?
Hate becomes the richest being in the universe
Is There Nothing More?

I do what I can though it is not enough.
     Is There Nothing More?
I live among the gentle, but I can be tough.

Is There Nothing More?

All remaining planets have long now gone dead.
Is There Nothing More?
You can’t get an answer to a simple question.
Is There Nothing More?
Promises replaced by vague, alternative facts.
Is There Nothing More?
If once or twice you don’t believe in all the lies
Is There Nothing More?

I did everything you asked me to do
Is There Nothing More?
Ate all the garbage you said was absolutely true.
Is There Nothing More?
Sent you my savings to fight enemies in your head
Is There Nothing More?
Outraged that ‘those criminals’ turned out to be me.

Is There Nothing More?

The Wrong Thing

Posted: August 11, 2023 in #poetry, My Tunes
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Maybe I’ve been lookin’ for the wrong thing.
Searching for the perfect harmony,
When I can’t even sing.

Maybe I am way out of my depth.
Thinking; just another minute
Right when I lose my breath.

I have banged my head against every wall:
Waited for anyone I know to call.
Listened to the righteous, but above all
Followed those thought of as weak or small.

Independent, courageous and defiant;
Yet I can’t seem to help myself.
Beat the dumbest giant.

So sure of myself all those years ago.
Put everyone that I love on hold.
Places I’ll never go.

I can solve everyone else’s problem.
Yet can’t even see my own.
The Wrong Thing lives again.

I have banged my head against every wall:
Waited for anyone I know to call.
I have banged my head against every wall:
Waited for anyone I know to call.

The Wrong Thing lives again.
The Wrong Thing lives within.

Still Your Choice

Posted: July 28, 2023 in #poetry, My Tunes, Poetry
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You want us to play
But the game’s no fun.
Nowhere, no way
No how.

It’s not the lesser
Of two evils:
It is neither,
Neither, none.

Of the few choices
It certainly ain’t
This, that
These or those.

Sleeping with the bears
Or with tigers
Eenie, meanie,
Miney mo.

You spoke, but no one listened
Do you still have a voice?
The garbage is made to glisten
It’s Still Your Choice.

You are the many with nothing
Why don’t you all rejoice?
The powerful know you are bluffing
And it’s Still Your Choice.

They know its money,
Not skills we lack.
One step forward:
Two steps back.

Lie to your face,
And stab you in defense.
It’s all the same
Difference.

Six feet under
No more in the cup.
Dig a ditch.
Now, fill it up.

You spoke, but no one listened
Why don’t you all rejoice?
You are the many with nothing
Have you lost your voice?

Take Away One Lyrics and Music

Posted: July 21, 2023 in #poetry, MUSIC, Music Theory, My Tunes
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I wrote lyrics for Take Away One based on the idea of removing a particular note from a 4-note-chord. This leaves you with a specific 3-note-chord. Hence the name of the song and also the foundation for the original poem. I had to add a verse to the poem converting them to lyrics because for a few weeks one band member or the other could’t make a scheduled music jam. Often three members would drop out one by one leaving me as the only bandmate that made it for the jam! Sometimes we travel and jam in person, but more often we use a program for on-line musicians and connect from our homes. That is how we survived the Covid-19 lock-down.

You will notice the difference right away. This is another example of a song that came together really fast because it was based on a mathematical theme or idea. The chord pairs were based on the idea above, but the progression was completely random. The arrangement was pretty basic so it wrote itself. Once I had the title it was easy to think of examples in life where things get taken away. You’re probably doing it right now.

If you get writers block, try starting from a different point. I’ve never had writers block in my 50 years of writing and recording songs, so maybe I’m on to something.

I had fun with the ending and the arrangement has a few twists as usual. Enjoy Take Away One.

Take Away One

Posted: June 30, 2023 in #poetry, My Tunes
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Take Away One
The song has already begun.
Look at the possibilities
And Take Away One

Take Away One
Makes it more difficult to run.
Everything used to be a breeze
‘til you Take Away One

Take Away One
It’s now someone else’s problem.
All dressed up and eager to explain
Then they Take Away One

Take Away One
Not enough shade from the sun.
Finally only one will remain
Until they Take Away One

Take Away One
Take One Away.
Soon they take another one away.
Take Away One
Take One Away
Now there’s no more to take away.

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