The streetlight glows a melancholy yellow through the downpour, just like that night so many years ago when I walked in the rain with a friend. Time dulls the memories. The joys and sorrows seem to me like ghosts floating through the dense gray of the storm. I said goodbye again last night. Not forever, no we never say forever. She said she'd have to come visit, had to keep an eye on me, keep me out of trouble. I reckon she might.
The threads of life twist and dance, a woven chord of black and silver, blue and gold. And red. We danced a little closer, we few. The grace of friendship gave us strength and joy. For a time our lives touched, our stories tangled into one.
We dance on, reminded anew of the grace of a memory. A friend to be honest with you, to put up with your bitching or your drunken phone call. A sister to love you. She was not the first to leave. No, the little one left first, the one that moved far away. Like a cat she was there, and then she was gone. I don't think cats get all teared up when they hug you. Generally, cats aren't much good for a hug.
We dance on. Everything is a grace. The chord may have changed, but the strength is still there. Across the miles we are together in faith. The things that I remember seem so distant, though it hasn't really been that long a time. The shades of a year drift into the fog that has swallowed others before them, but I can still make them out. Many years ago I watched in the mirror as the ghost of Christmas past waved at me under a gray December sky. Through the years that have passed we have changed, we have grown, but when I go home she lets me visit her; she lets me be her friend. I hope I do the same when others come to me.
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Interesting contrapost to Jackson Brownes "Before." Man, I spent many a depressing evening listening to that and Late for the Sky in my teens! (I'm assuming that's where you're post title came from)
ReplyDeleteIt's a fascinating and thoughtful page you're making here; Sancta Sanctis has a pretty good nose for pointing people to worhtwhile blogs. I look forward to following! God bless you.
Touching post, vivid and lifelike descriptions as always, and because I'm your brother, 'cord'~='chord' If it was intentional it's an interesting turn of phrase.
ReplyDeletechristopher:
ReplyDeleteYes, that is Jackson Browne. Late for the Sky and Fountain of Sorrow are my favorite tracks (there's a lyric buried in the post, if you didn't notice). It's my nostalgic music, my mellow out after a long day with a beer on the couch music. Along with his other first four albums (up through The Pretender) it contains some of the best songwriting I've ever seen.
Kira:
Yeah, that pun only occurred to me when I was looking back through the post, it was not intentionally written, but purposefully retained. Thanks for the compliment on the writing, btw... I never know whether my descriptions are vivid and beautiful, or tired and clichee, so I'm glad at least you and Leanne liked them.
Interesting, Dauvit, you seem to have good taste lol Jackson Browne ended with the Pretender for me also, as Springsteen ended at Born in the USA. I can't say that either one ever added any bit of hope to my life but rather pure and simple voice to feeling. Wow, got me reliving some old pre-"reconversion" memories now...
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