J Hill

This I like, Mr. Mole! Even if I don't know completely what it may actually mean! I like the way it flows. Maybe you're saying something about the constant battle between forever and right now? The question of the better... To choose some reason and believe, even irrationally. Or hopefully/begrudgingly/indulgently, just go with the flow (like all the kids are saying). And accept without reason.... Or leave it better to never not know. So? Does anyone else ever really....

Good point well taken and you are right, @ 'Me' there should be a ? mark!

To you both my gratitude, again, for the kind and insightful words. Yet, I have to say, I don’t agree completely Steel. Poetry is the careful conveyance of feeling, yes. However I enjoy it a bit more as art than craft. I like a poet to play somewhat dangerously with emotion, imagery and words the way an abstract painter might risk mis-understanding by daring to explore the outer boundaries of color, shade and shape. In this way, I’d say, art is, or can be perceived to each individual differently, and each can take a varied meaning just as valid, while different as any other’s, including the creator. Even while the palette of feelings we all share is the same. I‘d rather the artist allowed me to form my own reactions. Art is often born of great personal storms, but when shared becomes, in a way, the emotional property of all. Given meaning by each person's own unique experience. And the exact reason for each line and form that falls is just one of those things that none, not even the artist may know for sure. Yes, fore-thought, review and practice are indeed important. Still, the most meaningful works to me seem the result of a serendipity of chaos more than any careful planning, and are open to interpretation. That any painting, sculpture, a song or group of words can induce any feelings of any kind, even those unintended, I would say is a great reward and an equal risk. Only my opinion and I’m often wrong. So I'll just thank you once again.

... so I apologize. See, almost every word in each poem is a metaphor, and even I'm not really sure what for.

Thank you Both! Muchly ïŠ Steel, I understand what you are saying about the commas and the’ands’. .If I ever have something published formally, I would very much like to have someone around like you to help correct the technical discrepancies ïŠ Interesting though, you perceive it in a way different than my own motivations. And your’s is not a complete mis-understanding, because I can see the words could mean as you take it, so I feel now compelled to tell the story…. Many of these lines I originally conceived a very, very long time ago. I was quite young and drifting and had fallen insanely in love with a young girl who then would not be loved. I was 22 she was 17. After a short and tumultuous few months (isn’t it interesting, by the way, how certain chaotic short periods of time can stay in the mind long after other months and years of stability have become a mnemonic blur?) she ran from me. And I never saw her again. Not like I didn’t try. I remember hitchhiking desperately though cold and wet days when nothing else mattered, because I had heard she might be at her sister’s or her mother’s house, only to get there and be turned away. Many months later I heard through a friend of a friend that this girl had had a child, but had not been sure who the father might actually be. The person who had seen this child, a little girl, said she looked just like me. Emotionally, this wrecked me. Tried to find her, heard she left the state, never heard from her again. The words that came to me back then were slightly different. ‘Just another hobo who wrote words and had the time and walked the roads and stood inside the rain no-one had stood before. And a lonely girl who still waits though days escape ... her door’ I wrote once these words and many of the other’s on any scrap of paper I could find at the time, afraid I would forget, but I never have. Yes, I am not a girl. But over the years I have spent so much time in my mind picturing that little girl along many a lonely road’s walk, that when I went to write them down again, I guess I made myself her and me. The last 2 lines are new. Maybe it could have read, ‘…I’ll not be her again.†I’m so glad that you liked it.

Stargazing like dreams lazing in midnight’s moonlit sky. Shining bright white ‘til morning star light comes sending them all Goodbye. While all along the road stands, all alone the road. Rows of arrowed maps, vending machines and the rest, the rooms of gathering. Earth to sky and land to sea. Me, I’m another hobo who writes words and has the time and walked the roads. And stands outside the rain you had stood in before. I’m a lonely girl who still waits though days escape like dreamless sleep, I tremble at the thought of walking out that door. Oh, Anna the stars that crossed us are gone. So your soldiers can go on home I’m all alone in the cold of this winter’s day, she is at home and so warm in my head. Hopes go like feathers, thrown into a wind. At least now I know, I’ll not see her again. .....any thoughts?

Looks like it comes down now to just you and me. With a close to clear call the stronger, yet even more clearly... Without us we are just alone. So your blames I will burden as I parse credit too And feel still by myself even when we are two. Is this the worst lesson to learn? When the path becomes blurred with no bridges to burn? In time you will thank me But not ‘til you hate me And as I see, you are waiting my turn. fan this dog: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Big-Dog-Country-Radio-WUUF-FM/144815127889?v=app_2373072738#/pages/Big-Dog-Country-Radio-WUUF-FM/144815127889?v=wall

***this means nothing*** The Loot It must be a hoot to be so astute while starving it all looks like food. Looks like you wrote for that institute and there’s just no explaining for mood. Keep scamming, it’s demanded, as I understand it. Make the loud screaming and the random demeaning. Say thank you never take you for granted. Yet gladly accept all this chaos holds meaning. It’s seeming just like I can’t stand it. It sure must be nice to be so imbued So utterly in touch with your inner-dude Telling me you won’t lie like saying dry leaves don’t fly and feeling the way trees are leaning… I’d say that might soon be refuted. But while desperate dung looks a lot like loot.

We built up our homes on the side of a hill. There were 17 then, there are 12 of us still. The butcher is a farmer. The law runs the still. There are three here that govern, and one is named Phill. Louise is the sitter and the baker of sweets. Nate is a tinker and a said to be thief. The hunter has perished though his gun his son keeps. and me I'm the writer and the comic relief. By now you must wonder "I've counted just 8!" For four more, please be patient, and in other words, wait. When the wind hits the winter, this slope keeps us safe. If we keep in dry tender and indulge in some faith. Or so I believed until this very day, the account I shall journal, and you'll read if you may. The morning came slowly but the whore was awake, and the doctor came calling with new pills to take. No charge for the service, no fee for the call. Just the usual dark business and normally, that's all. If not for the banker, for you see, he found love even greater than money and his horder above And while creeping away in the shadows of dawn, encountered the doctor on the harlot's front lawn. I thought I heard something, but I fell back asleep. Now the doctor is dying and all of us grieve. While the judge, she says something about how to believe. But the holy man has long passed putting us in a pinch, and the wanderer veered missing us by an inch. So as dusk and then darkness befall on Nuham 11 minds start to worry on an elevated land. @2009 jdh

Arlington ~ Trace Adkins (because it has that feel) Lot's of country songs (go figure) with this theme, how 'bout... If You're Reading This ~ Tim McGraw

hmmm .... I've jocked a few weddings in my time so I'd suggest maybe ... TRAD: 'Wind Beneath My Wings' - B. Middler (or any version you like) NON-TRAD: 'Somebody' - Depeche Mode ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ many smiles at'cha

****...I am sorry, I would just transcibe but I just can't get here from there right now...**** http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=52659910 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

:guitar: :happybanana: :guitar: 1. Europa And The Pirate Twins - Thomas Dolby (1981) 2. Head On - The Jesus and Mary Chain (1990) 3. Lonely Days - Bee Gees (1970) 4. Why Does It Always Rain On Me? - Travis (1999) 5. Last Time, The - The Rolling Stones (1965) 6. Can I Get a Witness - Marvin Gaye (1963) 7. I Can't Stop Loving You - Ray Charles (1962) 8. Counting Blue Cars - Dishwalla (1995) 9. Lady Marmalade - LaBelle (1974) 10. Allison Road - Gin Blossoms (1992) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "..and the way I feel tonight, I could die and I wouldn't mind.."J&M C

Allow me sir, to be the 1st to reply.... Your words remind me of the struggles we all must go through, without ever really understanding. Why? My GrandMother at 96 and then again at 99 would say often the same sort of thing, and I'm only half of what her age was and I already often ponder the misery that seems inherant in every life. You have been read. It is good to be read ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Kick a stone. A friend somewhere will remember you.

fyc..... Europa & the Pirate Twins ~ Thomas Dolby Head On ~ Jesus & Mary Chain (I only wish there was a studio ver vid) <<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Fr. 'The StoneShow' Mon. Feb. 10, 2009: Amazed myself by paying (a little) attention to the Grammys... so... (from what little I saw or heard).... Sugarland won (a couple of times) and Jennifer was gushing beautiful! (and then knocked it out of the park later with her almost flawless performance of "Stay"). Kenny C’s turn on stage was maybe marred, a little, by a tuff song to put across live, I mean he could’ve just done "She Thinks My Tractor’s Sexy" to wild ovations like Sir Paul did with "I Saw Her Standing There" …but that said, it was brilliant in it’s own way. A great song! And did I hear ‘Lil Wayne use the "N" word in his "song" Is that because he has some special license with "free speech" that allows him to use normally prohibited by decorum derogatory words because he claims to be a member of that derided group? So does that mean I could go on nationwide broadcast TV and say (If I was).." I’m a white boy, honky, who beats my skanky white b*tch, cracker lovin’, hillbilly dude."? And not expect to be called out on it? (I'm not BTW any (many) of those things, but I'm just saying, IF I was) Also, btw, later again, during the Justin Timberlake / Ti thing, when Ti was rapping the audio completely cut out for several seconds, was he concerned we wouldn’t get it (whatever it was he was singing... err.. I mean rapping about) if he wasn’t graphic enough? Really? Come on…and I don’t even think it was that bad of a song (in fact it was kind of good) but be a little more creative in finding the words to say (and stop beating us over the head and shoulders with how much ‘authenticity’ and street cred you have by displaying your competence with profanity. And before I lose complete consciencness, (how long is this show anyway?) Radiohead is unstoppably cool. And, (sorry, I know they ARE great but…) N. Diamond & 4-Tops were snoozers but John Mayer, BB King, Buddy Guy and Keith Urban were rockin' out in tribute to Bo Diddley. Oh no, hide the tender ears once more, here comes "Lil Wayne again…hey, OK, I know it's rough, I too have reletives down there so I know already, yeah, New Orleans…..And Plant/Krauss get the AOTY!! Wonder how many people chose that one in their Grammy Pools..... and I’ll read about the rest of it in the morning… ...and that's what you get when you ask a grump!... WUUF-FM Sodus/Rochester, NY myspace 'stoneshow'

No Kevin, I'm the one who should be apologizing. My snarkiness can sometimes be uncontrollable ( a very, very, bad habit picked up when just very young) I very much appreciate your comments and your reading here. Like I said, this was something i wrote pretty much, off the top of my head (should be an acronym for that, heh.) I heard something like it when waking one recent morning, a little later, before going to work, I found a pen and some bit of scrap paper and wrote down the lines. Later that night I put them here. Sometimes when writing I am in such a hurry to get it down, I use a bit of short-hand and a lack of spelling/punctuation. I guess i left a couple things like that here. One, in the case of 'nite/night', because i liked how it sort of differentiated between the two different children in the night. One with hope, one dispair. The 'say/saying' I know there should've been a period or coma or quote marks or maybe even a semi-colon between, but i left it because i just liked the way it flowed like the original words in my head had. And, finally, i am not really writing about "me" crying (tho I certainly haved) it was something about having dreams even when you know some of those wishs will not be delivered, and learning to accept, if not embrace, that. Thank you again!

"Days" I mean "Some Days" you know, with the dancing. Sorry, my fingers are slow sometimes (and too fast others)

Ohhh! Dammmm, I almost missed Th' Chicks! (and with K. Urban strumming the guitar, no less) Is it too late to switch one of my pix? Be- cause, if i could I would put "Some day You Gotta Dance" in @9 (at least) instead of "Bring On the rain" ( tho it too is a really good tune)? Errr...can I?? (if not, NP, I stand with my pix!)

really this is just too hard...jk (almost) I havent been able to partake in the PTT's and R TT's due to a strange electron abnomally that for several weeks caused all electronics (and some in-antimate objects) to fail fatally all around me:( and because i am sometimes lacking in time....so i hope its not too late but I will as fast as I can (sorry, Steel, because I am sure your list deserves much more consideration).. 1. Dance Me To The End Of Love - Leonard Cohen ('cuz this man is often tragically lacking in appreciation) 2.Tighter Tighter - Alive N Kicking (such a one-hit-wonder tightness) 3. You'll Never Walk Alone - Tom Jones (b'cuz I love a big voice too - sometimes - heh) 4. Everytime You Go Away - Paul Young (yes, I don't care wat anyone says Mr. (P) Young is under-rated) 5. Longer - Dan Fogelberg (a guilty pleasure, yes? Only fate really brought me to hear Dan, (b'cuz I'm a 'dude' and we just don't listen to stuff like that) and am I glad it did now 6. Third Rate Romance - Amazing Rythmn Aces (Sammy K. did this one too, yes?) 7. No Ordinary Love - Sade (another great voice only heard (stupidly, I know) due to my forced upon persona as an AC radio jock) 8. Footstompin' Music - Grand Funk Railroad (because I am from Michigan and I can even show you where Flint is on the 'Map of Michigan', the one we all carry around at the ends of our arms) 9. **almost there** "Some Days You Gotta Dance" ~ Dixie Chicks!!! (Keith CAN play the 6-string) 10. Katmandu - Bob Seger (did I mention I was from Michigan?) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ...there are no bad answers, only poorly worded questions...

Arrrrghh! Don't make me swear at you! Because it's all so beautiful, and at the same time so dirty....... So, which switch is it?!?! You still did not choose: "A" or "B"???

Farin, Laurie, Seeker; Thank you all VM! And it's all right, technically I know little about writing or poetry either, other than what they taught us is grade school, and things I've read along the way. But with your help (and hopefully that of other's to come) maybe I'm learning a little bit more today

I could use a little help (hahah if you ever met me you would know that is obvious lol)here with deciding between 2 different lines to end one poem. If you could choose or pick between A. and B. lines at the end of this, that could be fun! And I would be forever gratefull. And if you don't want to play, for whatever reason, or if you'd prefer to make some other comments...I'm good with all that too ***1st a bit of explanation (because it's just something I feel i just have to tell someone)... Maybe it's a sign of my slipping sanity, but on occasion a deep, steady and melodious voice comes into my head (and, if all alone, to my lips) It sings mournfull, ancient sounding songs that have never been written. With enlongated vowels and syllables alternating with sharp words, it resonates in an almost "churchlike" (if that's a word) slightly Scottish feel... btw I know it's all probably very hard to imagine, but just stay with me, please, for just a few moments more... And as i drive along the freeways on my frequent long solitary car trips, this voice finds seemingly random words to insert into it's dearthfull melody (and my mouth) ..and every once in a while, I will attempt, upon arriving at my destination, to remember a little bit of all this and write the words to paper. I have done so here. But I can't decide on the very last line, between two I have in mind...this is where I could very much enjoy your assistance. Thanks in advance...jdh THE SONGS OF OLD If shadows fall before the evening on your shoulder of the road. Hold fast my soldier of the leaving, I will come to share your load. The times have slowed for me to go soon and to leave my burden here. May harbors all always be open, and your highways always clear. It was a long so long ago time as they showed me to your wake. She cried I tried so hard to not rhyme, (****here's where you come in...please pick A or B***) A. "..and be held as a mistake." B. "..are you sleeping wide awake?" ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ....there are no wrong answers, only poorly worded questions.... *@2009jdh*

Thanx for readin' Kev, but sorry (really) I had no idea the denizens of this creative outpost would be so adamant and strict in adherence to spelling, punctuation (meter) and linear metaphor. All i can say is it made sense to me at the time as a work in progress, off the top of my head set of words. It's exhibition for public viewing may have been pre-mature, but everything moves so fast these days... (EZ for me to say, I know) Heard something about owning one's own feelings. And finding the bravery to hold up and cherish even the bad ones. And trying to choose mostly generosity over self-indulgance...I should try to be more clear.. again, Thanks For Reading!

Poem X Stone Stand up for these times Stand up and be kind Stand no matter what all the peoples say saying care for yourself You can be kind. Keep a little wish Keep it close and dream like it's a child in the nite and even if not right it will still be your wish so you can cry right now Like a child in the night. (because that is alright) *jdh* 2009