TUESDAY
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Rod & Sunny: Photo by Bob
Gentry 8/5/1999
A Thought for Today
You get a lot more if you're willing to
settle for a lot less.
.ASK
ROD
THE LIST & GUNGA DIN?
I have been an
avid fan for quite some time. I think I have all your books, need a list
to make sure. Here are the ones I own.
Celebrations of the Heart
And to each season
Caught in the quiet
Twelve years of Christmas
Fields of Wonder
New Ballads
In Someone's Shadow
Come to me in Silence
Lonesome Cities
Moment to moment
My personal favorite has been, and still is, Turning
Point. Now I am collecting the sounds.
Wondering if you might help me. Am searching for a poem I read years ago.
Do not know title or author, but it says "and then, my son, you'll be a
man". Any clues? Thanks for all the wonderful words and feelings. A little
old lady in Oklahoma, Sally
Dear Sally: Thanks for writing. That's quite an impressive collection.
Here, for the record, is a more or less complete listing of my books
Poetry:
And Autumn Came
Stanyan Street & Other Sorrows
Listen to the Warm
Lonesome Cities
Revised And Autumn Came
In Someone's Shadow
Caught in the Quiet
Fields of Wonder
And to Each Season . . .
Come to Me in Silence
Moment to Moment
Seasons in the Sun
Celebrations of the Heart
Beyond the Boardwalk
Alone
Hand in Hand
The Sea Around Me
Coming Close to the Earth
We Touch the Sky
Loves Been Good to Me
The Power Bright & Shining
Looking for a Friend
The Beautiful Strangers
Too Many Midnight's
The Sound of Solitude
Watch for the Wind
Suspension Bridge
Valentines
A Safe Place to Land
Collected Poems & Lyrics:
Twelve Years of Christmas
Frank Sinatra: A Man Alone
With Love
The Carols of Christmas
The Rod McKuen Omnibus
New Ballads
Grand Tour
Prose:
Finding My Father
An Outstretched Hand
A Book of Days
A Book of Days, 2
Another Beautiful Day, I
Another Beautiful Day, II
Songbooks:
New Carols for Christmas
Sinatra Sings McKuen
New Ballads
Sold Out at Carnage Hall
28 Greatest Hits
Kaleidoscope
Through European Windows
Songs of Rod McKuen, Vol. 1
Songs of Rod McKuen, Vol. 2
19 New Rod McKuen Songs
Brel/McKuen Songbook
This doesn't include anthologies or books where I am not the sole
contributor. Hope this list helps.
As for the line "and then, my son, you'll be a man." Isn't that something
by the English chap who wrote "Gunga Din? It's 4:AM & I'm having a senior
moment so I can't think of his name. I'm too lazy to run downstairs to
consult my Bartlett's, Oxford or Cambridge Biographical dictionary; so at
the risk of being branded a dolt, I'll post this on The Flight Plan and
I'm sure we'll hear from some (more than) one who can answer part two of
your question.
If the authors name is truly on the tip on my tongue, saliva and Johnny
Walker Black is obviously suppressing it. All my best, Rod
Webmaster's Note: I think the poem Rod
and Sally are referring to is "If" by Rudyard Kipling. If memory serves me
correct it appears over the door to the changing rooms at Wimbledon.
A FAMILY AFFAIR
Hello my name is Robin and I found your site by
accident but was so glad because I must have been in another world for the
past oh 8 or 10 years since I hadn't heard anything about you.
I was introduced to your poetry by my mother on my 13th birthday. She gave
me Listen to the Warm and I read that book cover to cover crying, laughing
and thinking. You helped me through some difficult times in my life and I
always looked back to your poetry Alone was my favorite. It was like you
were writing about me. It won't surprise you to know that I'm now 42 and
I am also a writer. Not yet published but working on it at present. Both
of my daughters also read your books. As I said they are timeless. The
book I'm going to publish is about my father who died a year ago and his
last wish was for me to finish my book and publish it, he also served in
the Korean war.
Thank you for finally giving me the chance to tell you how much I have
admired your work. Robin Brooks.
Dear Robin, Thanks for your thoughtful letter.
I'm happy to learn that you've been a fan all these years and even more
pleased to know that you have turned your daughters on to my work.
Good luck with your writing and I promise you that if you really want to
finish your book you will. Writing about your family can be an educational
and liberating experience.
My thanks again and my luv to The Brooks one and all. Sincerely, Rod
CARNEGIE HALL
A couple of questions for you.
Did I dream it, or are you planning on releasing a larger print version of
"A Safe Place To Land"?
For your THIRD concert at Carnegie Hall, are you planning on recording it
and releasing it as another LIVE at Carnegie Hall concert? The first two
are just the BEST!
My love to you and Edward, and I send hugs from Texas. Kyletta
Dear Kyletta: Yes, if all goes as planned we will definitely record the
concert on April 30, 2003, at Carnegie Hall. The 29th of April wasn't open
so we settled on the following night.
Just for the record here's a list of previous Birthday performances in New
York City.
1968: April 21 Lincoln Center
1969: April 29 Carnegie Hall
1970: April 28/29 Carnegie Hall
1971: April 29/30 Carnegie Hall plus a midnight reading of "Fields of
Wonder" at C. H. on the 30th
1972: April 28/29 Carnegie Hall
1973: April 28/29 Carnegie Hall
1974: May 3/4 Lincoln Center
1975: May 6 Lincoln Center
1976: April 29 Carnegie Hall
1977: April 29 Carnegie Hall
1978: April 29 Lincoln Center
So actually, counting the midnight reading in 1971 this will be my 14th
Concert at Carnegie Hall. Oh, and a few years back I was part of a salute
to Frank Sinatra that was held there.
Isn't my memory amazing?
Not really, in 1978 Wade Alexander who presented all of the concerts (most
in partnership with J. Foster) gave me with a huge framed poster
containing all the advertisements from the birthday concerts & I merely
copied them down for you and me.
Many of those concerts were recorded and some neither Wade nor myself have
ever heard. The New York performances were usually the kickoff to a USA
(and every other year) overseas tour. After a long season or two on the
road Wade and I often had so much work to get to that there just wasn't
time to sit down and review the tapes, but they are all still in the
vaults.
As for a large type version of A Safe Place to Land, that's definitely
down the line somewhere but not before the release of the book I'm working
on now, Rusting in the Rain. As ever, Rod
WRITING
Dear Rod, It is with a great deal of trepidation I
write to you. It is not the sort of thing I normally do, but somehow this
Internet makes it very easy!
I am 59, and have always derided poetry as something that could be said in
a more 'normal' way! But pride does have this habit of taking a dive
doesn't it? Someone I love gave me your book 'Listen to the Warm" to read.
Two poems in particular, Eighteen and Thirty Six, cracked down some forty
year old walls that I had hidden behind all that time, and gave me the
freedom both to love myself and another, even if unrequitedly!
I just want to thank you for writing poetry that has given me so very
much, just in one book!. And more than I bargained for!
For some obscure, subconscious and probably frightfully Freudian reason, I
have taken to writing my own poems. I do not have much say in the matter,
they are just there to be written. Please do not flinch, I would die of
shame before I inflicted them upon you!
And I have discovered a curiosity about other poets. And a deep
frustration in the knowledge that anything I could ever write pales in
comparison with your wonderful words. However, as it is obviously inside
me waiting to be written, I must thank you once again for setting me free,
in many more ways than one!
Sincerely love "Where will I rediscover you?" on you site, which I have
only just discovered. Thank you ever again. I live alone, with two cats!
Thank you. Mrs Dawn McDonald
Dear Dawn: You're writing poetry, good for you. The thing about personal
writing is that you can't measure it against anyone else's. If YOU think
its good, it probably is. Anyway, don't compare yourself to other poets.
Measure your work against the expectations you have for yourself. I seldom
meet the standards I've set for me (which is why I keep revising) but
every time out I give it my best try. Occasionally when something works I
can smile about it for days.
The most important thing is that you are getting thoughts out of yourself
and on to paper. That's healthy and very productive for the psyche. Even
with hundreds of published poems and songs I seldom trouble over whether
writing is my profession or merely an avocation. It's just what I do.
Thank God when things don't go well with what I'm trying to get out of me
there are other things I can do till the muse deigns to make another house
call.
I appreciate all of your very kind words. As for worrying about what I
might think of your writing I have a thing about reading unpublished
manuscripts. I never under any circumstances do it. So, your pride is safe
--- for now. Luv and keep on writing, Rod
WHAT ABOUT MORE COMPACT DISCS?
Rod-Why aren't you compiling more of your material
on CD's. It would certainly be nice to be able to replace all the
completely worn out LP's from 35 years ago! If the production logistics of
CD's is a problem, how about an MP3 site where for a fee your fans could
download all the memories that make life worthwhile. Regards and - thanks
for the memories Tom Hewitt
Dear Tom: If you go back through the recent Flight Plans you'll see that
I've been working on mastering a lot of the older LP's for Compact Disc.
First up is a project involving all of the sides I recorded for RCA from
1965 to 1970, including many that were never released in any form. That
boxed set from Bear Family will be out in the spring.
As for MP3's you'll find quite a few (with more to come) that can be
downloaded from this website for free. Thanks for asking, Rod
THE BLACK EAGLE
Hello: I have for many years enjoyed listening to
your Gothic musical, The Black Eagle. However, now I am searching for a
copy of this musical on CD. I have attempted to send a message at the
"Stanyan by Mail" link but my attempts to reach the message board and the
guest book have failed.
I personally would like to thank you for many hours of enjoyable reading
of your poetry. I also greatly appreciated your book, "Finding My Father".
When I was young, my mother and father divorced and he was not allowed to
have any contact with me until after my 18th birthday. There were many
days when I struggled with the question about my other half. Your book has
opened my eyes about the search for the more of me and understanding why
life happened as it did. Thank you for all that you have written. Richard
Weyrauch.
Dear Richard: I'm happy that Finding My Father helped out when you were
without your dad and I hope that situation has changed.
I get lots of requests for a compact disc of The Black Eagle but I'd like
to do some more work on it before finally committing it to CD. I haven't
listened to it for several years but a while back I gave copies of the LP
to a couple of friends who wanted to hear it. These are people whose
opinions I really trust but in the month or so that they've had the album
I haven't heard a word. I wonder if this isn't a sort of 'kind' criticism
on their part.
I need a good chunk of time where I can sit down with The Black Eagle and
see just what it needs to be the kind of musical I'd like it to be.
Again I appreciate your letter Richard and while life seems difficult as
times for all of us I think that in the end it's worth the trials and
troubles that often come with it. I hope that on your journey you'll
remember to say hello again every now and then. With affection, Rod
Today is Wynona Ryder’s birthday and if I had a “Free Wynona” sweatshirt
I’d be wearing it.
Tomorrow Webmaster Ken will be back in this space with his weekly feature
This One Does it For Me. Hope you’ll look in to see what he’s up to. Sleep
warm.
RM 10/28/2002 11:30AM PST Previously unpublished
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(posted 09/28/2002).
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