Brothers in Arms

It's only 1100, hmm, not quite the witching hour yet--so let's see if this works out-it's been so long since I wrote any poems, I wonder if there are any more there--if my muse if listening, that is a loud hint--so far, she's come through but it seems to be when she's ready--oh well, subject for another time. Right now I am listening to a few Leonard Cohen songs, he's singing "Suzanne" now.."Hallelujah" is next-but I still think the Jeff Buckley version is the best one.

Now the sun's gone to hell
And the moon's riding high
Let me bid you farewell
Every man has to die
But it's written in the starlight
And every line on your palm
We're fools to make war
On our brothers in arms ---Mark Knopfler, "Brothers in Arms"

Talked about Clapton last night, it seemed logical to talk about Knopfler- "Brothers in Arms" is a great song that hardly gets played. I'll make that my song for tonight. Even though "Sultans of Swing" is my favorite Dire Straits song. With some guitarists, all you have to hear is a chord or two to know who they are--Edge with his ringing guitar, Mark Knopfler also has a ringing sound of his own, Clapton is so smooth now-much more than his Yardbird days, I guess since he became Slowhand--Stevie Ray Vaughn and his brother Jimmy Vaughn of Los Lobos, Pete Townsend and bassist John Entwhistle (the "Ox"-one of the only bass players I ever heard that played lead in a song), George Thorogood, Carlos Santana, Jeff Buckley, BB King, of course Bo Diddley, Lindsey Buckingham since he picks his guitar like a banjo, George Harrison "Abbey Road" and later, Ted Nugent, Kurt Cobain, Billie Joe Armstrong (Green Day), Eddie Van Halen, classically trained Leo Kottke--everyone one of these guitarists have their own style so distinctive--I almost forgot Willie Nelson-I know there are a bunch that I just can't remember.
Music and poetry, poetry and music--I always wanted to be a musician--I used to not have the patience and now, well, I just can't. I think for every good poem, there is either music in the poem or at least in its background. Granted, a lot of songs are music with just some catchy words-maybe not even that--but so many more have lyrics that could stand along as poems--in no particular order---listen to Woody Guthrie songs, a lot of older country music songs, some ones like some by Willie Nelson, Kris Kristofferson, Johnny Cash, and even some newer country songwriters, others like Pete Seeger, Bob Dylan, Springsteen, Jackson Browne, especially the older songs of Jimmy Buffett, Steve Goodman, Harry Chapin, outright poets like Cohen and McKuen that later tried songwriting and singing, Suzanne Vega, Joan Baez, now groups like Green Day, Evanescence, and on and on--maybe that is why some poets choose rhyme and miter and some songwriters choose to do freestyle---hmmm, good question--too tired to attempt academia now. But remember Bobbie Burns did at least furnish the lyrics for "Auld Lang Syne."
Guess all that's left tonight is to take my shot (injection, sorry no Jack Daniel Black around) and the meds that I can remember and try to go to bed. If anyone has waded through all this rambling, then you are a better man (person) than I am, Gunga Din. Tonight has been a perfect example of how I tend to write---I write like I think--I guess that means I think like I write--stream of consciousness ala Faulkner and Hemingway-hmmmm-no, subject for another time.obviously borrowing from Mr. Kipling. Hey, it just turned midnight.