In the back of my mind
there is a river
That flows quietly.
Echoes of the water
carried by the wind
Sung so beautifully.
Silently from the moonlight
Down into the ocean
May our eyes see.
From the mountains
tempting the dawn
Caressing the sky
Precious moments
last but only a blink of an eye.
(c) MSK
My dad (MidiMike) asked me to share a poem with all of you that I wrote for him when I was younger. He has always been a huge influence in my life. I’m certain that my love of music comes from him, as does my love of poetry. I hope this poem gives you a little insight on what it was like to be raised by a musician.- Alisa
Heritage Haiku
My dad wrote over
One hundred songs in my life.
I still quote the words.
“If you think that your
Paradise is a place then
You’ll never find it.”
His basement band shook
My bedroom floor, creating
Huge waterbed waves.
Lessons learned from Sting,
David Bowie, and Pink Floyd.
“We could be heroes.”
Ran sound on weekends
I slept under his sound board.
Protected by wires.
For years he worked at
A music store. Customers
Were my fathers too.
Microphones, ADATs,
His baby grand piano.
Guitars not Barbies.
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My wife and kids are quite creative. The list of ideas and mediums they have worked with (mostly played with!) would take a few articles to cover them all. One of the coolest things we used to do was to hand make small Christmas Cards that we would send or give to family friends and co-workers. We made quite a few every year. Sometimes we would make glass ornaments, sometimes fold-out decorated trees. Scarfs and matching hats. Each one unique. They became collectors items in their own little way. One of my favorites was an audio Christmas Card. Everyone received a recorded cassette.
My studio has always been open to our kids. They can play drums or percussion instruments, keyboards and if careful a guitar or two! We would record often, starting when they learned their “A,B,C’s. So we decided we would write, sing and record a song. The idea of doing the 12 years was brilliant as we had been doing this for twelve years and there is a popular song about the 12 Days of Christmas. As you will hear we may have plagiarized a bit in this recording.
We had a great pet cat at the time and his full name was Tasmanian Devil, but we called him TazMo and later Taz. He loved to curl up in the cool bathroom sink and hang out. Some other lines will describe the type of card we sent or a piece of the original song, but I think you will get the idea.
Whatever your politics, Wherever you call home, Whomever you love, and Whenever you are able, take care of yourself and your family, have a safe holiday and a great New Year.
From the middle,
each end is far away
Somewhere in-between,
we learn how to pray.
In every story
there is a hint of truth
Behind every lie
is a mountain of proof.
It’s always during the cold lonely nights
That you find out what you’re missing.
I am missing you.
(c)
The moon is high
The river is wide
The feeling is right
Everything has its place.
Gorgeous colors
From Spring to Fall
Changes year to year
Each at their own pace.
The sky is blue
The sun is hidden
The grass is growing
Everything has its place.
We miss so much
Turning in circles
Looking for fortune
Everyone makes mistakes.
It’s easy to do, I’ve done it too.
Everyone makes mistakes
It’s easy to do, so will you,
Everyone makes mistakes.
Lack Of Concern ©
You look from behind me, Baby
At what I’m going toward.
Seeing what you want to see
And then you look no more.
Tease me with the truth baby
Don’t tempt me with a lie,
So if you want to play games
I’ll just walk on by.
It’ a lack of concern
Or a lack of control
Is it in the heart,
Or deep within the soul?
You’re not making love with me
You’re just wasting time
Always taking theirs, aren’t you
But I won’t give you mine.
My tears are in your hands
My heart is open wide
But everytime I look, I see
There’s nothing left inside.
Tease me with the truth, Baby
Don’t tempt me with a lie,
So if you want to play games
I’ll just wave bye-bye.
For another look into the times, Lack of Concern is a gem in a time capsule. These were good times. I was still working at the music store. Playing with toys, buying a few here and there and energy I can only imagine looking back, LOL! It was a period where a lot of music was written and performed. Lots of projects. Learning as much as we could. Showing it to others! That was the fun part.
The words in a number of my songs are important to me. In the same way I have been told that aromas and fragrances can help recall a specific event in the past, lyrics do for me. They are a portal that allows a connection to create itself again. With that memory brought to the surface I can recall many of the events that inspired thoughts that somehow managed to become poems or lyrics. I surround myself mentally in the time.
“Tease me with the truth, baby, don’t tempt me with a lie” is one that puts me back at that time, in that mood. This song contains a number of those portals. This song asks the basic question; … ‘do you know what you are doing and still do it, or are you completely unaware of what you are doing?”. I just love the upbeat arrangement in this song. For this song I had the Yamaha DX7S, their updated model and a drum machine. My wife Ellen and I do the vocals. I play acoustic rhythm guitar parts and Shawn my buddy! comes over to play the lead and decorative guitar parts. I just let him run wild during the entire song and pick the gems to accent parts of the song. This may be the only time I have recorded this song. It is also one I rarely play out, but I think it is catchy in its own way.
I could write a letter.
Or sing a song.
I could read a book
fix what is wrong.
I could go for a swim.
Or watch the stars.
I could change all the strings
On my old guitars.
First I will tell you I love you
You know it’s true.
And the next time I can hold you,
is long overdue.
There’s always that mountain.
Or just beyond.
Become a teacher
create a bond.
I could go on a quest.
Or sail the seas.
Think the impossible
And do as I please.
I could learn to play games.
Or learn a craft.
See how far I could run
sail on a raft.
Maybe just volunteer
Or start a meme.
There are a million things
and more in between.
First, I will tell you I love you.
Although you know it’s true.
For the next time I can hold you,
is long overdue.
(c) 2011
It’s hard to speak out when you live in fear.
You can’t protect me if you are never here.
You can not give me what you never had.
Juries rarely protect the good from the bad.
You can’t take me where you’re not willing to go.
You can not teach me what you don’t even know.
It’s better to be quiet, kneel down and pray
And then hope to god that it all goes away.
But I can take care of myself.
I’ve learned from people like you.
Now, I can take care of myself.
I am aware, like you.
Learn to hold on to me and to never let go.
There’s so much inside me I want you to know.
Hoped to support you and not get in your way
I tried to stay quiet when there was so much to say
You helped me take care of myself
And I always believed in you.
Now we can take care of our selves
Aware; our children, and you.
So many secrets are whispered, then buried inside
You keep on running but just want to curl up and hide
You know you have the answer but you don’t have a clue.
You had it right once but couldn’t believe it was true.
The past is hidden but has still taken its toll.
Stand up and look around at the beauty of it all.
Every day is better and the endless nights are gone.
Face each day as you did the last, dedicated and strong.
(c) MSK
Some people are humans trying to get their kicks.
Some people are animals able to learn new tricks.
Some people are clever they know just what to do
Some people are sneaky and always out of view.
Most people are decent and will give you the time of day
Most people are ignorant of debts they should have paid.
Most people are honest till they tell you their first lie
Most people are lonely and will never say good bye.
All people are angry if they see things in black and white
All people are dreaming something wrong should be right.
All people are willing to have it their way
All people are upset when someone gets in the way.
You tried to tell me something I could never understand.
Wouldn’t know how to follow you if you guided me by the hand.
So many wrong directions in my ever-changing past.
Can’t guarantee to get there first but I’ve never been the last.
Your people are crazy going out all the time
Your people are busy but stop to pick up a dime.
Your people are active and find the right ass to kick
Your people are saying that’s just the nature of politics.
Young people are easy and got it all figured out.
Young people are forever and there never is a doubt.
Poor people are proven guilty more often than not
Poor people are givers and will share what they’ve got.
Poor people are many still there’s no why or when
Poor people are waiting for their savior again.
(c) 2011
MidiMike 