A TRIBUTE TO ROD McKUEN
PART 2 |
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A note from Charles
A Thought for Today
Every time somebody dies a private library burns.
Today we share the thoughts of Johan, Sharon,
Ann, Carole, John and Jay in the second part of our "Tribute to Rod McKuen".
- Ken, Johannesburg, December 28
Throughout the years, Rod has helped many a
person through some difficult times. I have been very fortunate in my relationship and
have not encountered the same difficulty as others. I have just celebrated my thirtieth
wedding anniversary this year, and I cannot help but thank Rod for that.
As youngster I was very shy, but Rod has taught me not to be shy to express my feelings
towards others, and to appreciate every moment I spend with the ones I love. When
travelling in the car, or struggling through tedious jobs such as grading exam scripts or
just doing the odd jobs around the house I have found that with Rod in the background, the
difficult road up ahead becomes a pleasure.
Thanks a million, Rod.
Johan Grobbelaar
Twenty seven years ago was the first time
Rod McKuen captured my interest. His song, "Seasons In the Sun", played in the
background while I was visiting a friend for comfort. A sister who was only 17, recently
had been killed from a fatal, unexplainable gunshot wound to her stomach. In not yet
having vented my enormous inner sorrows, as soon as I heard Rod's song, I cried and cried,
although in shedding my tears, it was as if a blanket of spiritual comfort had covered and
comforted me.
As years went on, I fell in love with his books of poetry. Soul-soothing they are, like
the Bible. Whenever and whatever I needed, I could find the answers in his words. I
reached and read during happiness, through sorrowful times, before, during and after love,
and through more deaths, and I learned that he's not only warm comfort, but also an
example of goodness, kindness, caring, understanding, serenity, compassion, fairness,
hope, faith and love. He, and his words and songs, have molded me to be a better person.
Additionally, his influence on my work as a
poet has been greater than all the muses combined. He has been my life and my way of
life...
There are many who believe, and I agree, that no one, not man, poet, singer or songwriter
in the entire history of mankind, or in the future of mankind, will ever positively
influence the world (including the literary world), with as much love, kindness, wisdom
and comfort, as Mr. Rod McKuen. He's an impossible act to follow.
With Love,
Sharon McElroy
Hi Rod,
For 30 years you've been my constant companion as I've travelled through life. The journey
wouldn't have been nearly as much fun without you.
Thank you for the comfort, encouragement and smiles your words and music have given me.
Love always,
Ann Berzinsky
Rod has been a steadfast, certain,
unique part of my life for over 30 years and there never has been nor ever will be anyone
who could take his place. He is a shining beacon of constancy and stability, a rock to
cling to when life is turbulent and personal crises threaten to overwhelm. He soothes me,
inspires me and never fails to uplift my spirits. He even makes me laugh. My personal and
favourite inspiration is 'I'm Not Afraid', if one can be said to have a favourite at all -
like choosing your favourite chocolate, almost impossible.
I have 'worshipped from afar' (too far) for many years and my ambition would be to meet
Rod face to face, although I would probably be so overcome that I would present myself as
a gibbering idiot. Anyway, this is a huge thank you to a special person who I cherish as a
performer and love as a humanitarian and shining role model to all of us who have had the
incredible luck to spend a large proportion of our lives in his company.
Sleep warm
Carole Wood
Back in the early 80's I started
falling in love with a high school classmate. We enjoyed excitement and mystery in our
relationship and were both decent poets at the time. So almost on a weekly basis, she
would give me the title to one of Rod's poems and would have me find which book it was in
and how the poem related to our relationship at the time. It was my first introduction to
Rod's work, and so his poetry held a special magic for me.
We went our separate ways some years later, but she was my first love, and I constantly
think of her and how she's doing. Rod's poems still bring back all the sweet memories of
my days with her. Rod's poems open up the feelings of a first love for me.
John Karle
Good Morning Rod... Boswell, the Waterfall
Man here.
YOU are a very special person in my life.
I have always loved listening to music. Some of my very first memories of music were songs
like "Honeycomb" and "Ring of Fire". Many more came along after those.
But it was your songs that started the record collection I have today. I listened to the
Trilogy and Listen to the Warm and had to have the music to play whenever I wanted. I
first found you as a singer and song writer and to this day I think of you first in that
way.
I have always been a reader. I read everything I can get my hands on. But until you came
along I could never read and ENJOY poetry. Most of the other poets wrote in a structured
context that I found hard to read and digest.
Your poetry 'touched' me. I, like others, felt you were writing the
poems for me. I didn't have to analyze the words to determine what you were saying... you
were inside my head and further inside my heart.
Your songs, your music, your books and your poetry are all still inside my head and even
deeper inside my heart.
Thank you for being Rod McKuen... the poet of The People.
Waterfalls by God... words and music by Rod,
Jay Hagan
Back tomorrow with Part 3 of our "Tribute
to Rod McKuen".
- Ken, Johannesburg, December 28 |
