Hope I didn't do this last year...

Hello all. Life is interesting. This week has been busy. Some years the week of my birthday is a bit trying for me. I think I just get a bit bogged down in ordinary. Maybe I can't get over myself. This year I had 1 day this week of "that guy". Maybe he finally took a hint. I'm not big on parties. So my families have given me the best of both. Sort of "mini parties". Last Sat. was M's day. We had fun. Sun my nieces, sister & brother-in-law, for lunch. Supper with my parents. Tomorrow is with all my in laws, as tomorrow is the day separating my b-day from on of my sister-in-laws. Her b-day is this Sat. [as is my cousin's]. Sat. some folks from my growth group/LW & a high school friend of mine will be hiking Rickett's Glen with me. Can't wait. Then, I think, the "spoiling" will be over. Almost forgot, Wed. night was cool, listening to the group sing along with Chris Tomlin [amazing grace {my chains are gone}]. Love hearing them sing.

This picture is from the kitchen table this morning. A small gift from Mick [M]. markers, notebooks, & this Guitar card. Cool huh? I used to play, when we were dating. My big gift is new prescription sunglasses. [that was hard on the wallet] Hopefully they last as long as the others have [roughly 17 - 20 yrs]. It's late, so this'll be it for today. I've an unfinished poem rattling around that I hope to post later. Written to the "grumpy one" I mentioned here. And I must figure out how to gently talk to a facebook friend about their posts of late. I don't want to "unfriend" them [or offend]... yet I'm not sure if I want my facebook page to have those kinds of word pictures floating around on it.
oh yeah... the hope I didn't part...
The Beatles Birthday

what used to be

what used to be
[poem version]
seems that some of my old choices
long ago check marked boxes
have gone dog-eared
faded
[or fading?]
glory
I haven't forgotten why
they were checked
what drew me to them
yet
an old drawing
 it is
sad?
kinda
well... not tragic
don't get lost
on that dusty dead end
my sometimes trusty old soul
yet
yeah, as you said to me
don't build a shrine
to what'll pass
in time
this forward
seems forever
both in it's direction
& in how long it's taking
still seems
the best way out
to admit
I like it
liked it a lot, once
that was then
a man [or boy]
I was
the way
it used to be
the path to this me
I think I'm liking
this me
better
the further away
I get from
the way it used to be

by b.e. noll

a poetic rambling reflection

what used to be
[poem version]
seems that some of my old choices
long ago check marked boxes
have gone dog-eared
faded
[or fading?]
glory
I haven't forgotten why
they were checked
what drew me to them
yet
an old drawing
it is
sad?
kinda
well... not tragic
don't get lost
on that dusty dead end
my sometimes trusty old soul
yet
yeah, as you said to me
don't build a shrine
to what'll pass
in time
this forward
seems forever
both in it's direction
& in how long it's taking
still seems
the best way out
to admit
I like it
liked it a lot, once
that was then
a man [or boy]
I was
the way
it used to be
the path to this me
I think I'm liking
this me
better
the further away
I get from
the way it used to be

a poem of life

war of the soul

stuff
money
influence
affluence
talent
friends

all wish to dance
spinning me around
toward?
away from?
whom?
why?
which dance
should I join?

knowing there's a war
is only half of the problem
part of the scare
the really scary part
is
did I choose the right side?
[to join]

do I let
the imposters
have their day?
or do I let
the master
have his say?

the throne
has only 1 seat
who sits in it
decides just how
neat my story goes.
[and whether or not
my story
is worth reading]

I know I said...

I know I said I'd be trying to lay off the "music in blog posts for a while, but...

I think it's cool, poetry in motion, to see sign language to a song. @ Lw during second service we have a sign language section. I love to watch them sign praise songs. Don't know why it casts a spell on me like it does. I just know it does.
Mick & I enjoy Paul McCartney's music. He's kind of a "soundtrack to our love story".
[at least the pretty, romantic parts of it]
He directed a video of his original song My Valentine, which feature Natalie Portman & Johnny Depp signing much of the song. I think that's really cool.
so here's a link to the video: My Valentine ["the dance of fingers" version]
Have a great day. It's going to be beautiful here.
pray for the midwest, where it will be scary.
B

a song & an origin

Don't know if I ever posted this before [sorry if I did]. As a segway into... several paths I might take moving toward the end of the month. I'm going to post a poetic song to/ about Jesus. Over the Rhine is a band that ..."fuels" my poetry bug. This song is the title song of the first disc I picked up by them. Mick & I have been hooked ever since.

The Trumpet Child
The trumpet child
will blow his horn
Will blast
the sky
till it’s reborn
With Gabriel’s power
and Satchmo’s grace
He will
surprise
the human race

The trumpet he
will use to blow
Is being fashioned
out of fire
The mouthpiece
is
a glowing coal
The bell
a burst
of wild desire

The trumpet child
will riff on love
Thelonious notes
from up above
He’ll improvise
a kingdom come
Accompanied by
a different drum

The trumpet child
will banquet here
Until the lost
are truly found
A thousand days,
a thousand years
Nobody knows
for sure
how long

The rich forget
about their gold
The meek and mild
are strangely bold
A lion lies
beside a lamb
And licks
a murderer’s
outstretched hand

The trumpet child
will lift a glass
His bride now leaning
in at last
His
final aim
to fill with joy
The earth
that man
all but destroyed

I once wondered how on Earth I ended up writing poetry. I'm not exposed to it. I didn't own any. ...or so I thought. Then I realized...
Rush - Red Barchetta & Jacob's Ladder
U2 - A sort of Homecoming, Running to Stand still, One Tree Hill,...
The Choir - Tear for Tear, Merciful Eyes
The 77's - I could Laugh, Frames Without Photographs
Michael Roe - Smile, Hold Dearly to Me
[I could go on]
Then I remember taking a notebook to Creation & asking a drummer friend if he thought what I'd written was songs or song worthy. "Um, maybe. It actually reads like poetry to me." "Oh", I said. Very dejected. Funny how things work out.
I kinda want to stray away from music for a while. Don't know if that'll happen. especially if I go a certain direction I've thought of going here.
Well, I should go for now...
stay tuned?
B

not really an Easter post

So I didn't post yesterday. Busy day. Services were wonderful. The day was great.
I could post billions of songs. You'd like some, & wonder why others were excluded.
I'm just going to go back a bit. Several weeks before Easter. I brought a song to growth group... & was asked if we could play it the following week. I said sure. You know how it goes, you say it's ok...but part of you wishes you could just "do what you want".
Boy, am I glad I said sure.
The next week another "left turn". It was beautiful outside. So a couple of guys asked if we could go out & walk the sacred path, together. So we did. Then came in & listened to the song I had originally planned to play a week earlier.
It was perfect. The song? I wonder by Leeland.

all photos by b.e. noll [the black & gold one is the moon reflecting off of Lake Redman]