Rod McKuen - Flight Plan


Wednesday 7th November, 2007		A Thought for Today Those who travel gentle in the world are seldom recognized as gentlemen by others. It matters not, for gentleness toward another human being is the thin line between personal success and failure for each of us. This One Does It For Me! Hi Ken, I just felt compelled to write a letter to let it be known that Rod's work is still being appreciated by the younger generations. I am a 2nd generation Rod fan. Instead of listening to tape cassettes and CD's while growing up, I was listening to my mom's Rod McKuen vinyl records. I am now a junior in college, and have been so inspired by Rod throughout my young life. Whether I am feeling down or chipper, I love flipping through my Rod book collection. I have tried, also, to share the talent of Mr. McKuen with others. I have given away more books than I own! Basically, I just wanted to write this short email to pass on the word to Rod that his work is still touching the lives of many. Thank you!! Andi Maria Morrow Dear Andi, When we first launched this site back in 1998 we had a number of objectives in mind. Most of them we've achieved but the one that proved most difficult, and almost impossible to measure, was attempting to introduce Rod's work to a younger audience. All we could do was hope that younger fans would find their way to us either through their parents (or in some cases grandparents) or via searching the Web or a combination of both. Your letter is proof that our hope wasn't misplaced and I'm delighted to welcome you as a regular reader. On a personal note - the nature of the medium dictates that this is a sometimes solitary job and I'd be lying if I said that from time to time (thankfully not all that often) I didn't question if it was all worth the effort and wonder if there really was anybody out there paying attention. Without fail, whenever these dark thoughts have surfaced a heartfelt letter such as yours has arrived to remind me it IS worth the effort and there ARE people out there who pay a lot of attention to what we do. So sincere thanks to YOU for taking the time to write. Your letter now resides in my "special" file, along with a couple of others, and is one I'll treasure for a long time to come. Love, Ken. Click on the Stanyan House logo to buy Rod McKuen books, CD's and lots more Click on the heart logo to subscribe to the Rod McKuen mailing list Catch Rod McKuen live! Click on the links below for details of concerts and appearances. ROD McKUEN CONCERTS ROD McKUEN APPEARANCES



		William Alwyn o Melissa Bell o Joe Bushkin o Albert Camus o Madame Curie o Balfour Gardiner o Billy Graham o Al Hirt o Dean Jagger o Dame Gwyneth Jones o Keith Lockhart o Jason and Jeremy London o Joni Mitchell o Barry Newman o Dana Plato o Johnny Rivers o Joan Sutherland o Leon Trotsky

		Perspective comes when poles are far enough apart to have horizons at both ends. Once I thought dreams were exceptions, not the rule. But that isn't so - they are so plentiful that they ride by on air. You've only to reach out and snatch one from the mist, or from anywhere. We are chained only by ourselves. Our thoughts and actions are our jailers just as they can be the liberating angels that set us free to be ourselves.

EMPTY HARBOUR		Those of us who sleep alone are like abandoned boats- we become accustomed to lack of ownership We believe our chosen paths are only where the sea drift takes us. I have come back to where the cedar hills wear darkness like a stocking cap, where morning comes the way the fish hawk comes quickly and on silent wings- not because I had to or so wished but because I found myself moving in this sure direction. I am still here looking for you. There are no days when I do not seek you out, no hours anymore when you are not paramount when I am not sure beyond imagining that I will meet you in the hills or on the street. I never do. But I still go and come to places we shared first together. I always travel alleyways we knew; these journeys need no compass and no chart. They have been tracked before and I will go on tracking them alone if need be. -from "The Sound of Solitude", 1983

AND FINALLY

More next week. Meantime if you have a favorite McKuen song, poem or story you'd like to share, or a question you need answered, drop me a line at kenb@mckuen.com and I'll do the rest.

-Ken, Johannesburg, South Africa, November 7

Webmaster: Ken Blackie � Birthday Research by Wade Alexander � Poems from the collection of Jay Hagan �
Sound & Fury Dr. Eric Yeager � Editor at Large: Bruce Bellingham � Emeritus: Melinda Smith

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