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Wednesday
22nd October, 2008
New concerts announced!
Click HERE for details.
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A Thought for Today
Without regrets there are no aspirations.
This
One Does It For Me!
Dear Ken,
I have written a couple times with a story I hoped you'd post on Rod's
Flight Plan, but perhaps, amidst all the abundance of favors asked,
dreams recited, and concerts begged I was lost between the cyber pages
of life's human-side.
It is a story of how Rod's words affected my life and in fact helped
return my life to me. Please read on.
I heard my first recording by Rod when I was 16 years old..."The Sea." I
loved it then and I love it now. I became a true fan and have been
inspired by more than one of his poems to write my own...but more often
than not, my own just would not pierce the emotion I had in my sights,
so I turned to Rod's words, always giving him credit. In fact, many
years ago life and inevitable circumstance separated the love of my life
from me...and I have had many...so yes, I know this was/is "the love."
Funny, how we know that as we become older and remember....
There was a time when I was going through a very difficult ordeal (won't
bore you with details) almost nine years ago now...and I could not find
my way out of the darkness. Then, one day I received an email, forwarded
once and then again until it finally reached me. It was from that
love...that love that always was, never forgotten, and forever mourned.
How did he find me? What made him even think of me?
He tells me it was a question asked, and a book given as a gift that his
hands touched upon. The book was from me and it was a book of Rod's
poetry...kept by him for 23 years, at an arm's length, but so very far
from me. He was afraid of interrupting my life until something inside
him cried out, "She needs you." Indeed, I did, always had, and do. He
helped me climb, torn and bruised, out of my darkness and brought back
into my life the sound of poetry that I had long left abandoned. You
must understand...I was a writer of my own following, but mine
nonetheless. I wrote daily and with love, tears, joy, and pain until the
darkness took it all away...and kept it for more years than I can
scarcely believe possible...now.
I have wanted to thank Rod. He gave me his gift of "The Sea," and in
turn I gave the gift of his words, which in turn, returned full circle
so I could hear my own voice again.
My love and I were reunited after 23 years and the first thing I read to
him was, "I Always Knew," also giving Rod full credit. Please do not use
the name that comes with this email. I have my reasons for needing the
privacy...you may refer to me as "Gypsy," because in a way I
am...proudly.
Gypsy
I loved your letter, Gypsy, and I love stories with a happy ending.
After all this time I
shouldn't be surprised at being reminded yet again the impact Rod has
had on so many lives but I still marvel when reading letters like yours. I can think of no other
entertainer who has reached out so consistently to his audience, made
such a difference to their lives and, as a result, been rewarded
with loyal, dedicated and long-standing fans such
as yourself.
Thank you for sharing your
story with us and there are no prizes for guessing which poem I've
selected for you today.
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
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Constance Bennett o
Sarah Bernhardt o
Brian Boitano o
Patti Davis o
Catherine Deneuve o
Joan Fontaine o
Annette Funicello o
Jeff Goldblum o
Zac Hanson o
Curly Howard o
Alan Ladd, Jr. o
Timothy Leary o
Doris Lessing o
Jonathan Lipnicki o
Franz Liszt o
Christopher Lloyd o
Dory Previn o
Robert Rauschenberg o
Tony Roberts o
Shaggy o
Leon Trotsky o
N.C. Wyeth |
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Without an audience of one or more, what constitutes the validation of a thought or work?
Scratch a legend and you'll find a crack.
Never settle for less than more.
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I ALWAYS KNEW |
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I always knew
that you would find me,
no clock needed to remind
me that it would happen.
I planned on it, worked it out
hid in plain sight every day
knowing you would pass,
that way or this, come along,
go by, pause in moving to
here or somewhere; near or
far it did not matter. You
would
arrive.
It kept the heart
alive and thriving in the clatter
of times' travel to know
that you would turn and see me
then not turn away. You here
or coming, unraveling the puzzle,
kept me whole and safe
and driving on toward this day.
When the evenings, like forever,
started fleeting, going fast
I could see you at some distance
disappearing in the mist.
In the mass of fondled faces
one imagines in a lifetime
yours was there just out of grasp.
As you fluttered in my future,
fled throughout my lifelong past
I expected every spring to bring you
to my arms, to my side. When
the autumns started coming thick
and firm and fast, I never once
gave up believing you'd arrive
with winters passing, you would
be here as the moon fell.
As the sun rose we would clasp
hands at first, then bodies closing
up that awful gap that life without
a life long partner leaves between
the noon and night line. Did I
falter in my faith? Once or twice
perhaps, but never long enough
to leave you languishing in some
dream that wasn't mine. Because
I always knew that you would
find me, I never sent out distress
signals, never tapped out SOS.
I was blessed
with growing knowledge, something
whispered do not worry, it will
happen, it's been planned. Nothing
here is happenstance. Do not hurry.
Do not pause to catch your breath.
So it was I always knew
Now and then I leapt to heaven
on another's stroke or kiss, lent
to me to keep me going in this
sure direction. Afterward the same
affection that I saved, assigned to you
only grew. I always knew that you
would find me and so I did not
bother scrawling each and every
new address on cloud or curb stone.
Why? I was waiting, you knew the rest.
A nocturne for The King of Naples,
A serenade or two for those who
got me through some fearful midnights.
Sonatas for some faces time erases but
does not forget. A double wind concerto
for the wind itself; it could have blown
me anywhere, but wouldn't, didn't. I
dropped some songs along the way in
laps of strangers, even laps I knew. But
this music you see spread around you
these notes and half notes, planted long
ago, that grew and grew was/were saved,
because I always knew that you would
find me and help me with the harvest.
The strongholds, the havens that
proved weak and wanting, lessons
learned, prizes earned, not always
given. Paths I paved, paths unpaved.
The rest of what I have to offer, little
things this life's amassed; for you,
for you, it was for you I saved
the best for last.
- from "A Safe Place to Land" |
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