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Down To Earth

I reached out and touched the Earth today.
I felt the coolness of her soil between my fingers.
I looked up and faced the sun and bid of
Her to be my warmth and let it linger.

In the warm waters between shore and river
There lies beneath the surface
Swirling life flowing freely to the sea.
And on her bed my body sinks into the sand.

It’s a passive resistance, standing still
And no certain way to touch the sky.
There’s no better time for reaching out my love,
Be it either your reflection, or mine.

Smooth upturning whirl-winded wanting
Of the southern sky, a sign to fill my mind
And lips with all the knowledge needed to
The peak the point so perfectly timed.

In and amongst the swirling motion straining
Pressure and verified by vocal breaking
Bursting forth the taste of magic almost tragic
Is the ending as the beauty is the making.

The Earth reaches into me once more and
I feel the coolness of her skin upon my hand.
I drift in waves between shore and slumber,
And on her bed my body sinks into the sand.

I Feel The Yuletide

Yes I feel the Yuletide
I feel like dancing in the snow.
Tomorrow brings a longer day
How soon the tide does go.

I feel the Yuletide I surely do.
And winter's crispy chill.
Outside the children build a snowman
Time for them is standing still.

Put another log on the fire
I’ll get a blanket for our feet
The embers crackle a promise
To sing us gently to sleep.

Today the darkness begins giving
Over time to the growing day
The snow will soon be melting
And the children have all gone away.

Yes I feel the Yuletide
I feel like dancing in the snow.
Tomorrow brings a longer day
How soon the tide does go.

Put another log on the fire
I’ll get a blanket for our feet
The embers crackle a promise
To sing us gently to sleep.

*****************************************************************************
From John Gibson's collection entitled "A Notion Born".
Copyright © 2007, John C. Gibson, all rights reserved.
Also in audio form on the New World Folklore CD
"Welcome To the New World", ( Wolfgang Music LLC)
*****************************************************************************
"Back to the Top

Taking It

I took a walk on my lunch break
and I never turned around
By sunset I had reached the outskirts
of what I once called my hometown.

I said goodbye to no one.
I said nothing at all.
I walked into the setting sun
I never heard them call.

Well there is no turning it back
And there's no slowing it down
Time is something that you leave behind
I'm taking it for me right now.

Taking time to feel the earth beneath my feet
Where I will surely rest some day.
I got a pocket full of nothing,
Well nothing is everything we take.

I say hello to everyone.
I pass along the way.
I walk behind the sun in motion
I'll see it setting some day.

yes I'm taking up some time now.
I'm reaching out to you today.
Taking time to feel the earth beneath my feet
Before it washes away.

Old Soul

You’re an old soul, with a young lover’s heart.
I can see it in your eyes, behind your easy smile.
Lay down your sword and armor,
Let’s talk about the ages for a while.

Tell me stories, of our love in other lives.
How we danced in the rain, catching magic in a jar.
And as we journey back again,
Know that I will always love you as you are.

There’s a wisdom in your eyes, from the wounds that you own.
From the ashes you must rise, but know you’re not alone.
For I will always be there to take you home.

You’re an old soul, with a young lover’s dreams.
And it should come as no surprise, I share those dreams with you.
And as you lie there sleeping,
I kiss you and close the ages for the night.

There’s a wisdom in your eyes, from the journeys that you’ve known.
From the ashes you did rise, and made it on your own.
And I have always loved you, welcome home.

Little Slice of Death

Fighting back falling eyelids
I try to keep my senses.
But give in, at last aware that
I too must take my chances.
Turning the covered coffin down
I make the day's farewell bid.
Warily I slide inside and
Pull up the soft linen lid.
I fight against the Dying Light
With ignorance and pleading.
But soon losing desperation,
For consciousness is fleeting.
No sooner do I pass away
I return somehow the same.
Except for feeling rested.
It seems I haven't changed.
I wake still groping my gender
That awoke sometime before me,
And thank whatever force saw fit
To recharge and restore me.
Coherence slowly settles in
As thoughts become my own
And another little slice of death
Has safely come and gone.     

From Melpomene

I have no pity for fools who vomit in their coffee.
Mine is not to cleave to the collective numbing.
Theirs is to leave clean gutters defiled. 
Their cradle of wealth is the incipient sewing
Of seeds in the wild.

I laugh among tears, not to offend,
Its just that I can and I gulp them.
I am etched with the hate of lovers.
No more.

Gutless
I choose not to feel: not to grieve broken bones--
But still clutching the mask of a child.
I wash the daily dirt from my sight
And suck the smoke that kills my touch.

I stamp out the life of an insect, innocent
Writhing near my bed. I place my face lightly
where I will soon drool.
Leaving on at least one light.

Miracles

From the sky a perfect light
Brings tears to these eyes of mine.
Yet not for being oh so bright,
But to see it one more time.

A drop of rain has seen a way
To land upon my face.
The drop of rain will fade away
Back to its starting place.

I loved the sudden, single greeting,
Choosing me the journey's end.
I smiled though our time was fleeting,
Since it had taken flight again.

A rainbow ends and then begins.
Which end is which I do not know.
The colors in it are so thin,
But enchanted by a glow.

I'd love to ask the artist how
The pot of gold might be found.
I'm sure I've been to both ends now,
But only found a patch of ground.

I looked once more into the clouds.
The rainbow vanished with no trace.
It left the sky not half as proud.
And left me with a starting place.

I knew the sky would lose the light
That rainbows are made of.
The clouds would steal the precious sight
That I had grown so much to love.

Irony Sustained

Free as a garden flower,
Deadlier than all sin.
Wading into the hours,
Wearing a sheepish grin.

Black plastic shadows plastered,
On eyes that tell no lies.
A heart so laden heavy,
Tight woven chain disguise.

Cocooned in crowded masses,
Self-made dark persuasion.
Watch the eyes of passers by,
Warning of invasion.

Among the hours waiting
The pace so quickly crawled.
So many are passed alone,
Spoke not to one and all.

Free at last behind locked doors,
Proclaiming love unheard.
Black plastic shades discarded,
Like lonely forgotten words.

Free in a well lighted room
With candles, books, and tea.
Tales of unjust justice to
Sustain the irony.

Touching the torch eagerly
Seeking that lovely burst.
Wilting instead in silence,
Failing to quench the thirst.

The loveliness not quite reached
Leaves a chill on the skin.
The effort leaves not rested,
But kills the sheepish grin.

Gone are the garden flowers
Who ran right out of time.
Never in wildest dreams were
They ever really mine.

Among the hours waiting,
Time ticking on the wall.
So many passed in silence,
And I will miss them all.

All The King’s

In the village the cobblestone
Streets are all polished
For the King and his court to
Observe and inspect.

From the rooftops the banners
And flags had been hung
For his majesty’s proof of
The people’s respect.

On the sidewalks the onlookers
Gasp and withdraw
From the star studded muscle
Parading downtown.

On the shoulder of father
A boy is enthralled
With the brow-banded giants
Impressed by the crown.

And the steps of the giants
Are Hackney-like proud.
The emblems and tassels and
Gold snaffle rings

Are all stamped with the seal of
Their country and crown.
The little boy whispers to
Father, “Is it all the King’s?”

When I Had Nothing

When I had nothing to lose or anything else
I felt nothing.
Nothingness for the pain I had not yet enjoyed
From antiquity.
When despair and shame were at my door I would
Not let them in.
I chased them away with Spirits and smoke long
Hours unconscious.
Now that the greatest of good has come to me
I can grieve.
Now that I have everything that could be wanted
I cannot sleep.
When I had nothing to lose I was dying slowly
And did not know.
Now I am fully aware of how quickly the years
Are screaming  by.

A Notion Born

The world is my kingdom by gracious permit.
And though I intend no harm
I do mean to move it.

The selfless despise me for my selfish intentions.
The selfish devise me into
Selfless inventions.

The righteous refuse me the right to exist.
Their virtues amuse me
Oh how they insist!

I’m nothing to fear like those noble stands.
I neither mooch or beg
Of woman, or man.

I am all creation existing on earth
I am the elation of
Notion in birth.

I stand for no cause of God or glory.
I am my own cause
I am my own story.

To seek is to find me, to question command.
I am the indomitable
Spirit of Man.