(I take daily medication to prevent the build-up of uric acid crystals, having previously suffered severe gout. The medication is normally highly effective but, for some reason, I had a sudden reoccurrence over the weekend. I have a backup medication for just such an occasion and, I’m pleased to report, it worked very swiftly!)
Tomorrow is Armistice Day and, at this time of year, I always get to thinking about those I have known, and those I never knew, who died, or were affected in any way by war, or in the service of their country and humanity. Service has always included not just military men and women but also the myriad folk who contributed, and continue to contribute, in any way whatsoever. The basic concept of Armistice Day is “Never Again”. The world should not forget that. The sentiment should not be Never Forget, but Always Remember. We have that responsibility.
I tend to get a little maudlin, each year, for a few days over this period and, I suppose, that is what prompted this poem!
§
Content!
Love sustains me beyond the fears, the insecurity, and the pain;
The very fundamentals of life…and death;
The in between that’s never seen;
The basic structures of existence:
And yet…here I am, uncertain, a little fearful, the beginnings of trepidation
For what?
I know not!
Perhaps it’s always been there. The insecurity, the uncertainty, the pain!
Nevertheless…I like that word…nevertheless I am what I am;
Jim Adams’ Song Lyric Sunday gives us the chance to share familiar, and sometimes not so familiar, songs. Jim has given us Hold/Pause/Stop/Wait this week to be included in the title or lyrics.
If you fancy sharing one of your favourite songs you can find out how to participate, and also listen to all the great entries, here.
I’ve used this song before, in May 2019, but I make no apology for using it again. Firstly it fits the prompt perfectly. Secondly, it has an important message and fits in with World Mental Health Day which was Saturday 10th October, the day I’m writing this and, finally, It is a brilliant song and I love it!
There is far too much hurt in the world. Sometimes we hurt people deliberately, sometimes we hurt unintentionally. Sometimes we even hurt others without realising we have done so.
Some people suffer hurt through illness, some through loss of loved ones, others because they feel hopeless, or neglected, or useless.
Some are hurt physically, many are hurt mentally.
We all will, at some time in our lives, hurt someone in some way. For any that I have hurt, I am truly sorry. For those that are hurting now, and for those who can see no end to their hurt, I offer love, and hugs, unconditionally. Hold on, it will get better!
Sadly, there is no doubt that at times Everybody hurts. Here is REM to sing the song. The final words are what matters: “You are not alone”.
When your day is long And the night The night is yours alone When you’re sure you’ve had enough Of this life Well hang on Don’t let yourself go ‘Cause everybody cries And everybody hurts sometimes
Sometimes everything is wrong Now it’s time to sing along When your day is night alone (hold on) (Hold on) if you feel like letting go (hold on) If you think you’ve had too much Of this life Well, hang on
‘Cause everybody hurts Take comfort in your friends Everybody hurts Don’t throw your hand Oh, no Don’t throw your hand If you feel like you’re alone No, no, no, you’re not alone
If you’re on your own In this life The days and nights are long When you think you’ve had too much Of this life To hang on
Well, everybody hurts sometimes Everybody cries And everybody hurts sometimes And everybody hurts sometimes So, hold on, hold on Hold on, hold on Hold on, hold on Hold on, hold on
If you fancy sharing one of your favourite songs on Jim Adams’ Song Lyric Sunday you can find out how to participate, and also listen to all the great entries, here.
Jim gives us the chance to share familiar, and sometimes not so familiar, songs. This week I’ve chosen a not so familiar song that is all about feel. It’s sung by an artist in many senses of the word and, if I were a betting man, I’d bet you a fair sum of money that you have never heard of her.
The singer is The Glass Child, Charlotte Eriksson.
Leaving her home of Gothenburg, Sweden, with nothing but a guitar, her stories, and a dream, at age 18, she moved to London to dedicate her life to her music and art. She has achieved so much more than she had ever imagined. Eriksson is an artist, an author, a songwriter, and founder of the artist collective, Broken Glass Records.
On a personal mission to “touch at least one soul out there and make them feel they belong,” the world inhabited by The Glass Child is a beautiful place.
As an author of 4 books of prose and poetry including her latest release, Everything Changed When I Forgave Myself, Eriksson shares her growth and collections of memories spanning from her vagabonding ways, her artistry, her search for a home and mental health to travel essays on love and loss in the hope that her readers would find a connection and comfort in her words. She slowly began to find herself and her supporters one by one, wandering through foreign cities, finding shelter at train stations, airports and helpful friends’ couches, singing and sharing her stories to whoever would listen.
You can discover much more about her here on her web pages. You can even book her to give a private performance in your own home! This lady, now 29, is not your average pop star. I think she is rather special!
The song she is singing is called Hypnic Jerk. Have you ever jumped when falling asleep and woken yourself up? Well, that is a Hypnic Jerk! Bet you didn’t know that either.
So, here is The Glass Child singing a song where a young girl settles down at night with her lover.
Or does she?
Can she really feel him there?
Can she see him beside her?
Is he really there?
You decide!
There are two versions. The first is a very rough recording, at 3am, just as the song has been written.
The day is finally over and you come alive I’m slowly opening my window let you come inside In the dark, all my fears they all disappear It’s a hoax my love I’ve seen it all before
You hear him whisper like a distant call And then he tells you that he miss you, makes you feel so small In the dark with the stars it all seems so close In your head it’s real he’s getting near and
Softly, you lay your head beside me Say you feel my heart beat I’m too numb to feel you I’m to numb to see you
Tell me are you see-through? This ghost you’re turning into I shut my eyes, and you’re no longer here
And when the sun is slowly rising it all hits me hard Like a knife in my chest ripping out my heart Reality is out there tearing lives apart I’m living here alone with just a memory of you
I’m acting normal saying hi each day One feet and then the other, hide your ghost away Then they say the day is over and you come alive In my head it’s real, you’re getting near
Softly, you lay your head beside me Say you feel my heart beat I’m too numb to feel you I’m to numb to see you
Tell me are you see-through? This ghost you’re turning into I shut my eyes, and you’re no longer here
Here we are again with Jim Adams’ Song Lyric Sunday where he gives us the chance to share familiar, and sometimes not so familiar, songs. This week he’s asked us to share ORAL or AURAL songs
If you fancy sharing one of your favourite songs you can find out how to participate, and also listen to all the great entries, here.
I’m rather busy this week so my entry will be a very basic affair.
I’m offering a song from one of my favourite groups, The Hollies. The song is called Listen to Me.
“LISTEN TO ME” was recorded in Abbey Road studios, and released in September 1968. The single was #5 in Holland, #10 New Zealand, #11 UK, #13 Germany, #33 Canada, and #129 US. This was the last Hollies single with founding member Graham Nash, who left to form Crosby, Stills & Nash with David Crosby and Stephen Stills.
The video is poor quality I’m afraid, (changed 12/01/22 because the original video disappeared!) but the words resonate with me greatly. They remind me of my first real love, at a time that I was losing her. I was aged 20. That’s it folks. You can imagine whatever you wish for the rest of the tale.
Have you ever wondered why
When everything goes wrong
Nobody stops to lend a hand
Nobody seems to care
Then she looks you in the eye
And suddenly you’re strong
And very soon you realize
That you didn’t care about love
Listen to me I’ll sing a song
To change your mind
Your ears are deaf
Your mouth is dumb
Your eyes are blind
Listen to me and very soon
I think you’ll find
Somebody wants to help you
Somebody seems to care
And very soon you’ve forgotten
That you didn’t care about love
Does it hurt to realize
You’ve been acting very strange
Refusing to take the love she gives
Pretending you don’t care
Did it take you by surprise
To discover how you’d changed
How you forgot to remember
That you didn’t care about love
Listen to me I’ll sing a song
To change your mind
Your ears are deaf
Your mouth is dumb,
Your eyes are blind
Listen to me and very soon
I think you’ll find
Somebody wants to help you
Somebody seems to care
And very soon you’ve forgotten
That you didn’t care about love
Listen to me I’ll sing a song
To change your mind
Your ears are deaf
Your mouth is dumb,
Your eyes are blind
Listen to me and very soon
I think you’ll find
Somebody wants to help you
Somebody seems to care
And very soon you’ve forgotten
That you didn’t care about love
You didn’t care about love
You didn’t care about
You didn’t care about
You didn’t care about love
Peter's pondering 
