Many years ago
In the back room
Of a nondescript
Downtown Long Beach
Second story walk-up
We are legless
Leaning on pillows
Scattered on a Persian rug
Water-pipe bubbling
Black light
Exploding colors
From Day-Glo posters
Twinkies and Orange Crush
Calling to us
Someone says
"Rick, play that song!"
"Rick, play that song!"
He laughs and says okay
For the fifth time that night
We listen to him play
And sing
"Here Comes the Sun"
All of us listening
All of us loving it
All of us with Chinese eyes
All of us with Chinese eyes
visit Rick Snow at REVERB NATION
WOW! He sure has written lots of songs!
ReplyDeleteHearing "Here Comes The Sun" for the first time, yes! My husband and I were at a party with our friends, other Army couples, with the husbands soon (unhappily) to go to war. In that darkness the music brought a bright, warm light of peace and joy--delight isn't too strong a word.
ReplyDeletewhat a beautiful tribute to your friend
ReplyDeleteAs always Pat, your poem is great.
ReplyDeletehere comes the sun is a great song.
ReplyDeleteBrian - He's been at it for quite a while.
ReplyDeleteMargaret - I loved it then and love it still today. Everytime I hear it, my mind drifts back to that place in time.
becca - Thanks becca! A different world, that's for sure.
Oilfield Trash - Thanks so much. I appreciate it!
Chris - That it is! thanks..
A trippy tribute!
ReplyDeleteWonderful poem Pat. I will have to check out his music.
ReplyDeleteOrange Crush and Twinkies..... yum. Great poem.
ReplyDeleteI love that song...lovely poem.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for buying my book.
Nancy
N. R. Williams, fantasy author
Alex - Trippy! Far out...
ReplyDeleteTim - Thanks Tim! Please do...
Random Thinker - Thanks! Yeah, those twinkies were especially good at certain times!
Great poem Pat....a lovely blog as well.
ReplyDeleteN.R. - Thanks so much and no problem!
ReplyDeleteThe Abbot - Thanks! I appreciate it.
i know a medicine that can curb your cravings.... like orange crush and twinkies....
ReplyDeletelove your poem, although i can honestly say i have no idea what feeling you are talking about, i sure can imagine what it would be like..... "i dooonnn'ttttt caaaarrrrreee"
I love the scene that this piece evokes. My favorite line:
ReplyDelete"We are legless"
As always, thanks for sharing.
Going to the 7-11--brb.....
ReplyDeleteOh and Bojangles, oh and McDonalds, and probably Sonic...
J
It's raining here--I'll play the Tribute song ASAP!
Great post!!!!!!!!!!!
wow, your self-expression through your poems (and your photographs) is vivid and very cool. most people can't put down in words what they want to say, but you do it very well. you really know how to take a person back to those days...
ReplyDeleteI loved it! Reminds me of my teenage years. Wrong era, but we all thought we were hippies anyway. Or maybe that was the acid talking....
ReplyDeleteReally liked the poem. Gave a context to the song, wrapped in a time bubble.
ReplyDeleteGreat poem and great song- Now I have it stuck in my head.
ReplyDeleteI love it, and may have even been there...
ReplyDeletePearl
fantastic Ode my friend.
ReplyDeleteGreat poem ----and wonderful tribute to Rick Snow, Pat... Thanks... I likes your reflection picture in the next blog post also.
ReplyDeleteBetsy
Ashley - Yeah, that's what you used to say about drinking also...LOL!
ReplyDeleteSarah - thanks Sarah! I think I spent much time in a "legless" state.
John - that's too funny! Many 7/11 trips were made!
M Pax - Thanks so much! It is a look backwards, that's for sure
Ren - thanks Ren! I appreciate it!
Pearl - that's funny! I'm sure a lot of folks who read my blog, have never been there...
Jhon - thanks Jhon! back in the day...
Betsy - Thanks Betsy! for both!
"...all of us with Chinese eyes" Such a telling line. A perfect wrap.
ReplyDeleteA great night Patric, a great poem.
ReplyDeletePat, I'm glad you came 'out of the closet' as well...you write so well and I love the poem! as well as the song! I was just on another site and her theme was the Beatles...pretty funny!
ReplyDeletetake good care!
I love the buildup to that last line. Love those endings that take off unexpectedly.
ReplyDeleteGreat poem and music! He kinda reminds me of someone I know.
ReplyDeletePat, I'm going to tell my son George about your friend, as he lives in Nashville and is writing and recently recording some of his own songs. There may be a chance that he knows Rick's music.
ReplyDeleteYou can go to georgejohnson.com and listen to two of his songs: "The Reign" follows "Santa's Wearing Blue This Year".
Twinkies and Sunkist together make me legless! LOL
ReplyDeleteTwinkies and Sunkist together make ME legless. LOL!
ReplyDeleteTess - thanks! I wasn't sure how many would pick up on the reference.
ReplyDeleteLeovi - Ah yes! One of many. thanks!
Tracy - that statement taken out of context could cause my family some confusion. LOL! Well, I've been writing for most of my life. I just don't have much to show for it because it all was lost about 5 years ago (I think).
tapirgal - thanks Sheryl! Me too!
Marguerite - Thanks Marguerite! I appreciate it.
Diana - I'm sure it's possible! It seems like their paths must have crossed. I'm fully expecting Rick to chime in here, if he's not on the road someplace. I'll check out the songs.
Darrin - Oh yeah! that would upset the stomach of a "normal" person!
You know you're having a good time when you all are wearing the Chinese eyes :) It's wonderful of you to write about your bestfriend. I've been thinking of doing it for the longest time but never got around to doing it yet ;)
ReplyDeletemice_aliling - Oh yeah! Thanks so much for the nice words! I appreciate them...
ReplyDeleteQuite the tribute poet you are. I'm off to listen.
ReplyDeleteI was doing the same thing out in the San Fernando Valley...but we didn't have live music! Thanks for the trip down memory lane.
ReplyDeleteAh Here Comes the SUn.. George Harrison classic..
ReplyDeletedont know this dude though..
Good piece though patty..
=]
Nice Pat
ReplyDeleteI too have viewed the world through the chinese eyes, been a while though.
Jesse - thanks my friend. I hope you like him.
ReplyDelete#1Nana - I'm happy to hear that you know exactly what I'm talking about! thanks and you are welcome!
Anthony - thanks! It was and still is a classic! It makes sense that you would know who my friend is though. Being in Australia and all.
Jimmy - LOL, yep it's been a while for me also. At least 6 or 7 hours... Just kidding!
I do so remember orange crush
ReplyDeleteand twinkies.. and some other stuff
too..
All of us with Chinese eyes. Love that.
ReplyDeletefaye - Oh yeah! Lot's of other stuff!
ReplyDeletealtadenahiker - Hmmm, I'm glad a lot of folks "got" that line...
Thanks for taking me there. This was quite a trip.
ReplyDeletexoRobyn
Robyn - Yes, but was it a place you've already been to?
ReplyDeleteBlack light
ReplyDeleteExploding clors from those day-glo posters. Brings back a lot of memories. Great poem Pat.
Beautiful as usual...can't honestly say that it took me there ;) loved the lines "We are legless Leaning on pillows Scattered on a Persian rug Waterpipe bubbling" you a have a wonderful way of weaving random memories to make a complete picture...
ReplyDeleteSQ - Thanks so much! the comments I'm getting on this one are all over the place. Some can relate and some can't!
ReplyDeleteRek - I totally understand. To be taken there, you would have had to been there. thanks so much for the nice words...
You do have a wonderful way with words, Pat.. they do paint a picture.
ReplyDeleteCan't relate, I grew up in a different kinda world altogether.
be happy and well, Pam
Wow, Pat, that is awesome!
ReplyDeleteYep, those lines mean a lot to us 'older folks'...such memories...I love the Chinese eyes!
I am doing very well, still reading blogs, I have not forgotten ya'll!
Pam - Thanks so much Pam. It was a different place and time, that's for sure.
ReplyDeleteJoe - Thanks so much Joe. Some of your old posts took me back to those days and inspired me to write this. Nice to see you around my friend!
Rick Snow just sent me this via email and it relates to him singing the song....
ReplyDeleteThanks Pat. During a down pour at an outdoor concert in Billerbeck, Germany, after I had already performed, I stepped back out on stage and up to a microphone that they had left out in the rain. Being careful not to touch the mic I got as close as possible. Just about the entire audience had run into the forest for cover. I started singing.... Here Comes The Sun while getting soaking wet. I always did sing a long (Snow) version that rocked out for quite awhile at the end. Well to make a long story .... you know, by the time I finished the song, the rain had stopped, the sun was completely out and the entire audience of several thousand people had come back to their seats from the trees. Someone said, "Hey, California Ricky, you're a good showman." There was a crew filming and they got it all on film. It was played in discos all over Europe, and that's how I got tagged with that name. Over there anyway.
Wonderful tribute to a wonderful person! You have a way with words that tell us quite a story. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteDawn - Thsnks so much Dawn. I'm glad you liked it.
ReplyDeleteI just got a contact high from this post. :) Nice one!
ReplyDeleteJames - I'm sure the people in the next apartment did also! Thanks!
ReplyDeleteGlad I came back to this... wonderful tribute to your friend, Pat, and chuckled at his Here Comes the Sun at a rainy concert story. Precious. Nice voice, hadn't heard it before, and can well imagine it singing the other... even over and over... Those were the days, my friend. I sometimes wonder what today's youth will be writing 30 years hence.
ReplyDelete[About your comment on my church post, I am entirely with you on wishing I had the time/$$ to visit every World Heritage site. But then I also want to read every Nobel and Pulitzer won books... and, and, and... One of the only things I really cannot grasp is humans who say they are bored.]
Francisca - thanks! Yes, that was a pretty good story. You are right about "those were the days. You are right about boredom, no reason or excuse for it... Thanks for nice and lengthy comment! Here comes the sun...
ReplyDelete