The Smell of Nature

Get out of your window,
move into the world and feel.
Feel the deep cry and footsteps.

It is not gone, grasp the universe.
Visit old friends, who tell stories.

Stories of older times, that sound fresh.
As the red sky creates a show, I listen.
Surely darkness moves in.

Love Vigilantes by Iron and Wine

While reading these lyrics I cannot help thinking of the film, "The Sixth Sense", the speaker is viewing life as if he is a part of it, but in reality he is dead. Also one gets the theme of war/violence, "for my country I would die, and I will see it soon" and "Said that I was a brave, brave man, but that I was dead." The contrast of good and evil are very powerful in this song and tell a story. I understand the patriotic mindset but in reality the speaker is dead and is still wishing to see his family. My favorite lyric is, "with our rifles and grenades and some help from God." In reality they just want "some help from God" and a clear conscience. Fighting the war was not the problem, convincing yourself that it is morally justifiable to kill another human is the battle.


Oh, I've just come from the land of the sun
From a war that must be won in the name of truth
With our soldiers so brave your freedom we will save
With our rifles and grenades and some help from God

I want to see my family
My wife and child are waiting for me
I've got to go home
I've been so alone, you see

You just can't believe the joy I did receive
When I finally got my leave and I was going home
Oh, I flew through the sky, my convictions could not lie
For my country I would die, and I will see it soon

When I walked through the door my wife she lay upon the floor
And with tears her eyes did soar, I did not know why
Then I looked into her hand and I saw the telegram
Said that I was a brave, brave man, but that I was dead

Born

Born

Crushing leaves, splashing water, and ripe pine.
Here in the thick quiet, time is alone and true.

Smells of satisfaction and open skies-
bid good day and farewell.

Roaring into soul and marrow,
mountain fragrance relaxes the heart.

World so good, tell of your deeds.
Power into this place and shift our minds.

-Seth Gilmore

The River in Winter

The tired tree lays down his head
in streams that will forever flow.

No worry of future, past or present.
No thought as the river pours wisdom.

So time goes on, a season in change-
the quiet hum of what once was
will become a peace that is true.

The path is laden with footprints,
and tired, I lay down my head.

-Seth Gilmore

For My Young Friends Who Are Afraid

There is a country to cross you will find in the corner of your eye, in the quick slip of your foot—air far down, a snap that might have caught. And maybe for you, for me, a high, passing voice that finds its way by being afraid. That country is there, for us, carried as it is crossed. What you fear will not go away: it will take you into yourself and bless you and keep you. That's the world, and we all live there. -William Stafford

Winter Solitude

Winter Solitude--
in a world of one color
the sound of wind.

-Matsuo Basho
Translated by Robert Hass

End.

The end is near they say.
Countries up in arms.
Babies dying, hospitals being bombed.
The crow and owl sit and wait.

The president was shot.
Disease is spreading.
Smoke and pollution envelope society.
The crow and owl sit and wait.

Immigrants and refugees, shot in the street.
Women are raped, boys are killing machines.
The end is near.
All the while-
The crow wished everything was black, the owl that everything was white.

"Flock"- Billy Collins

It has been calculated that
each copy of the Gutenberg Bible
required the skins of 300 sheep.

I can see them
squeezed into the holding pen
behind the stone building
where the printing press is housed.

All of them squirming around
to find a little room
and looking so much alike
it would be nearly impossible to count them.

And there is no telling which one of them
will carry the news
that the Lord is a Shepherd,
one of the few things
they already know.

- Billy Collins