LEAF BLOWERS
LEAF BLOWERS The birds have been going crazy around here lately. I woke up at the regular time today in my own Natural migration, And went out onto the porch to meditate, Hoping to get lost in the bird sounds And the colors of the trees against the grey sky. But as it...
THE WATER TAP
My friend Gary Nicholson says he rarely gets writer’s block. To him, it’s like a water tap. If you turn it on every day, the tap works easily. The water comes out clear. Let it go a while — say, a couple of months, Rust sets in and the water runs brown. It takes a...
LIFESTYLE
LIFESTYLE There’s no substitute for cash. But over the course of my work I’m paid in lifestyle as much as anything. Being able to spend my years doing what I love And experiencing all I see out traveling — These are luxuries never to be taken lightly. Yes, there are...
THE TEASERS
THE TEASERS As a kid, I like to draw pictures. But being left-handed, stuck in those damned right-handed desks at school, I have a hard time making drawings that aren’t lopsided and weird. The other kids, being kids, tease me about the bizarre scrawls on my paper. So...
NO PLAN B
NO PLAN B My first wife and I get engaged when I’m 22 And her father sends me the letter. He’s very concerned about my career choice And wonders if I would consider a trade school; Something to fall back on. After I calm down, I write him a letter. I tell him that my...
CONCRETE
CONCRETE In high school, I have an odd-jobs business Mowing lawns, painting houses, moving families. I do landscaping, build patios and decks, even clean windows For the right price. Basically, I’ll do anything. My method is, first get the job, Then figure out how to...
AN AFTERNOON WITH PAUL WILLIAMS
Paul Williams is sitting next to me at a dinner in LA. His stories are hilarious. He tells me how much fun he’s having of late, That after not writing songs for many years He’s only recently getting back into it. I say, “Well, we should get together and write...
ADVENTURE
ADVENTURE Summer, 1994 I’m the opening act on Stevie Nick’s summer tour. For the three months that we cross the country I know that a two-year odyssey Recording, travel, promotion and shows Is coming to a close And I’m worried. I don’t have songs for a new record. Not...
SONNY THROCKMARTIN
As a 17 year old, wannabe songwriter in Houston, TX in the late '70's who had possession of a pretty good fake ID, getting into clubs was not only easy, it was the coolest game in town, and somewhat of a responsibility that one had to rise up and fulfill. I was at...
VETERAN’S DAY, 2017 – WE ALL WEAR A UNIFORM
Look around you. Veterans are everywhere. To thank them is wonderful, But to truly see them is what is needed. For all of us, Because we all wear a uniform. They come in many forms, many colors. Just as you want to be seen for who you are, So do veterans. Just...