This Is Me--2024 A to Z Theme

My A to Z Themes in the past have covered a range of topics and for 2024 the theme is a personal retrospective that I call "I Coulda Been" which is in reference to my job and career arc over my lifetime. I'll be looking at all sorts of occupations that I have done or could have done. Maybe you've done some of these too!

Friday, February 5, 2010

Dream Song: Two Roads

         And now for something different for this blog.  Today I will be continuing on the dream theme that I have been pursuing over the past several Fridays.  But I am also going to try some poetry.   I have seen many other sites presenting poetic works and I have wanted to try the same but I've been hesitant.

           Actually the following is a song that I wrote based on a dream.  I wrote this when I was a senior in high school.  According to the notes I wrote at the time, I composed this song between October 19, 1968 and January 20, 1969.  The style is inspired by Bob Dylan and it is an up tempo song that clocks in at about three minutes, once again according to the notes I have written on the manuscript.  See if you can visualize what I am talking about in the lyrics.


                                  TWO ROADS

The Bear Woman looked at me and said "Where are you going?"
And I looked out the window and I said I didn't know.
Then she said, "What's your game, son.  What is it that your doing?"
And I gazed at the road ahead and said, "Where is there to go?"

There are two roads in my life and I don't know where they're going.
My worries are many, my accomplishments are few.
My friends all show me what they've done, but I've nothing worth the showing:
My worthy deeds are yet to come,  but I don't know what to do.

There's a Hole in the Ground somewhere where scientists are working,
Building a Robot to save the whole wide world,
But I know that I can do just as much as any tin man,
But I don't know what is stopping me--could it be a girl?

There are two roads that I can take but what's my destination?
When women rule the world and we men are all their slaves,
Will they let me put my brain to use--my powers of concentration--
To free all those trapped by the Rock way down within the caves?

My life is a movie.  I'm part audience and actor.
The cost to get in to see is just like paying rent.
They say it isn't worth it, though the story is exciting.
The first part's understandable, but the ending makes no sense.

There are two roads that I can see, but I can't see where their ends are.
Why can't I take them both and end up where I choose?
Why must I be a watcher when I want to be an actor?
Why can't I rid myself of everything I'd like to lose?

I ate dinner on the bus that day.  I saw the Leading Lady.
Old age had cast a shadow on the face where youth once shone.
I know that people must change, but why within the restrooms?
When I see things like this happening, it makes me feel so young.

There are two roads that lie ahead, but I don't know which to enter.
One of them is better, while the other's not so good.
I know I must take one of them--I'd rather take the center.
If there were a center road I'd take it if I could.

As I rode along the Road of Life in a car that had no engine,
The others that were with me troubled me with all their fun.
I saw trees uprooted by the storms into the lakes, upended.
I showed a lad two roads ahead.  He showed me only one.

There are two roads before me.  Many others have but one.
While others may have many more, but should I waste my time
Worrying about those other folks when I have my own decision
Between two roads that lie ahead--those roads that I call mine?


          So what do you think?  Poets-- give me your critiques.   Story-tellers -- what about the story here?   Music fans -- do I have a potential hit on my hands?  I'd be interested in some honest opinions.

        Oh, and by the way, if you're not signed up as a follower yet, would you mind joining us today.  I'd love to have your support.   Thanks.

6 comments:

  1. We've done it again! My post today starts out "And now for something completely different..."
    But it's a totally different topic.

    Don't know anything about poetry, but unlike most songs, your lyrics actually make sense!

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  2. This Lee is fantasic, it would make a wonderful song set to music.
    You have here the direction of what the poem is all about, the description what you see along the way, and most important there is a message that comes over wonderfully.
    Have you any more hidden away?

    Thanks for sharing it made my day.
    Yvonne.

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  3. rLEE-b ~
    I had difficulty "hearing" it as a song in my mind because I didn't notice a consistent "rhythm" that would make it "musical."

    However, that doesn't mean a dang thing because often I have read song lyrics that didn't seem "musical" on the page and yet I knew they were songs and good songs, too!

    It would be interesting to actually hear these words set to music to learn how they play out. But there were a number of lines that I immediately liked. Below are the highlights for me:

    There are two roads that I can take but what's my destination?
    --(Good question! As Yogi Berra once said, "You've got to be careful if you don't know where you're going 'cause you might not get there!")--

    When women rule the world and we men are all their slaves
    --(I don't really love the line, but was the prophet foreseeing 2010? :o)--

    My life is a movie. I'm part audience and actor.
    --(Quite right. True for all of us.)--

    They say it isn't worth it, though the story is exciting.
    The first part's understandable, but the ending makes no sense.
    --(Sounds like you're describing my life, up to this point anyway... But it hasn't ended just yet.)--

    There are two roads that I can see, but I can't see where their ends are.
    Why can't I take them both and end up where I choose?
    --(Yeah. Why can't you?)--

    Why can't I rid myself of everything I'd like to lose?
    --(Ooh! Great line.)--

    There are two roads that lie ahead, but I don't know which to enter. ...
    I know I must take one of them--I'd rather take the center.
    --(Take Yogi Berra's advice who said, "When you come to a fork in the road, take it.")--

    As I rode along the Road of Life in a car that had no engine
    --(Great imagery!)--

    I showed a lad two roads ahead. He showed me only one.
    --(Hmmm... This line may have a very spiritual undertone. Who is the "Lad" who shows you only ONE road, or "THE" Way?)--

    I'll leave you with one more Yogi Berra quote which your song-poem brings to mind: "We're lost, but we're making good time!"

    Good stuffs, rLEE-b!

    ~ "Lonesome Dogg" McMe

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  4. L. Diane --- I'm linking to you in my Saturday post. Thank you for saying the lyrics make sense-- that means a lot to me.

    Yvonne --You made my day with your comment. I do have more and may contemplate using them on future blog posts.

    Stephen -- Thank you for the careful study. If you count out the syllables to each line you'll probably find 14 or 15 in each. When I have written songs I have always written the words to a melody so there is a distinct musical quality. Maybe someday when I've got more money to play with I'll record some of these songs. When it happens I'll send you an autographed CD. Well, I can dream can't I -- after all it's dream day.

    Lee

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  5. I think it would make a great song! In fact, I read it again with a made up melody in my head and it fit quite well. Many good lines and a subject that is very relevant in life. Thanks for sharing it.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Connie -- thank you for the encouragement and kind words. I'd love to hear your version or another version actually recorded so I could hear how someone else "hears" the lyrics.

    ReplyDelete

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