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       THIS ONE DOES IT FOR ME!

A Thought for Today

Christmas is as much a time for summing up as it is a time for celebration.

 

Michael closes out this year's collection of personal favorites with a real goodie from "Too Many Midnights". Thanks for the contribution, Michael.

If you have a favorite song or poem of Rod's that you'd like to share with us, drop me a line at ken@mckuen.com and I'll make sure it gets an airing right here when we resume early in the New Year.

Please be sure to join me on Monday December 27 for the first in a series of what promises to be a fascinating conclusion to the year, decade, century and millennium. You'll find some interesting and provocative thoughts and even a couple of photographs that you may not have seen before.

See you then!

                                   - Ken, Johannesburg, December 22

Ken,

The one that really does it for me is "Now I Have The Time".

This piece encapsulates all the feelings, guilt included, that I experienced while trying to build a career. Fortunately I discovered, before it was too late, that there's more to life than work and I was able to salvage a relationship that was very special to me.

This poem continually reminds me that I woke up before it was too late and for that I'll always be eternally grateful.

Best to you,

Michael Collingwood.
notable birthdays                   WINTER SOLSTICE o FULL MOON
Dame Peggy Ashcroft o Hector Elizondo o Ralph Fiennes o Steve Garvey o Maurice Gibb o Robin Gibb o Lady Bird Johnson o Andre Kostelanetz o Giacomo Puccini o J.Arthur Rank o Gene Rayburn o Edwin Arlington Robinson o Diane Sawyer o Deems
Taylor
Rod's random thoughts Wisdom is the final meeting place of abstract thought.
The energy of the will is as important as the pureness of the soul.

Cliches become so for good reason, the best contain a universal truth.

NOW I HAVE THE TIME
(Another Monday,
Two Months Later)

 Now I have the time
to take you riding
          in the car
to lie with you
in private deserts
or eat with you
in public restaurants.

Now I have the time
for football all fall long
and to apologize
for little lies and big lies
told when there was no time
to explain the truth.

I am finished
with whatever tasks
kept me from walking
in the woods with you
                   or leaping
in the Zanford sand.

I have so much time
that I can build for you
sand castles out of mortar.

Midweek picnics.
Minding my temper in traffic.
Washing your back
and cleaning out my closets.
Staying in bed with you
long past the rush hour
and the pangs of hunger
and listening to the story
                   of your life
in deadly detail.
Whatever time it takes,
I have that time.

I’d hoped that I might
take you traveling
down the block
or to wherever.

I’ve always wanted
to watch flowers open
all the way,
however long
the process took.

Now I have the time
to be bored
to be delivered
to be patient
to be understanding,
to give you
all the time you need.

Now I have the time.
Where are you ? 

                                - from "Too Many Midnights", 1981
© 1981, 1986, 1999 by Stanyan Music Group & Rod McKuen. All Rights Reserved
Birthday research by Wade Alexander o Poetry from the collection of Jay Hagan
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