Every human being
Their home
The World
Dear Everyone,
We, of the movement to stop the War in Vietnam, having achieved our purpose, declare to mankind that we are not stopping the movement. Our main goal is not to stop the Vietnam War but to bring peace to the world. We recognize that the Vietnam War is the longest war in American history, and bringing it to a close is a great achievement. We must emphasize, though, that this is not the only troublespot in the world. As long as there are American soldiers in foreign countries, we must keep protesting American involvement. Vietnam is a drop in the proverbial bucket of peace. In a future time in our government, we will have a president, who will send soldiers to another point in the world to fight a war.
The Anderson College chapters of the National Peace Action Coalition, the Individuals Against the Crime of Silence, and the United Society will continue to fight for peace, because just because the war in Vietnam is over, doesn't mean that peace has automatically come. We will also fight to bring domestic freedom. Our goals now include the abolishment of poverty, hunger, disease, pollution, and all war. As a song goes, "Let there be peace on earth, and let it begin with me."
PEACE!
Walter Durst--president of
the Anderson College chapters of
the National Peace Action Coalition
the Individuals Against the Crime of Silence
and
the founder of the United Society.
PEACE PEACE PEACE PEACE PEACE PEACE PEACE PEACE PEACE PEACE PEACE PEACE
NOW
NOW
NOW
Tuesday, March 31, 2015
Friday, March 27, 2015
Untitled, 1981
Singles are looking for ways to make their lives meaningful. Over the last several years, many books have been written to try to help the individual in obtaining a purpose in life. At First Baptist Church of Columbia, South Carolina, this purpose has been achieved by two mission trips to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
In 1980, the Singles Department at First Baptist wanted to reach out beyond the confines of its own community, so the Home Mission Board suggested that they look to the Delaware Valley Baptist Association, and especially Philadelphia, where they might be some help to this fledgling Southern Baptist ministry. With some advance work between Baxter Wynn of First Baptist, Columbia and Gaynor Yancey of Philadelphia, the agreement was reached. First Baptist would send twenty singles to Philadelphia to conduct two Vacation Bible Schools in the Kensington area of Philadelphia and work out of the Frankford Avenue Baptist Church. Ms. Yancey, who was the Director of Christian Service Ministries for Delaware Valley, served as their contact and guide.
The group from First Baptist consisted of teachers, artists, technicians, and other assorted professions, who used their vacation time for this project. Each grade, pre-school through sixth grade, had a worker, and there were four people who did puppet shows for both schools.
The twenty singles lived in Frankford Avenue Church for the week that they were there. Due to the high-crime area where the church was located, the door to the church had to be locked at all times. There was a doorbell at the entrance to the church, and a code had to be set-up whereby the singles would know if one of their own was at the door, as opposed to just anybody trying to get into the church.
The first day of Vacation Bible School was a complete disaster. All of the plans that were made by the teachers failed. The children would not listen to their teachers. There was an atmosphere of total anarchy on the part of the children, and the singles went back to the church that afternoon feeling frustrated and helpless. The plans that had taken over three months to formulate were shot down and destroyed in a little over three hours. The fifth and sixth grades wither knew all of the Bible stories or didn't want to listen. The pre-school area had to contend with the mothers of the children watching over their little ones, since they didn't trust the singles.
At the beginning of Tuesday morning, before VBS, there was a prayer meeting, where the singles asked God to give them strength and patience with the children. They also prayed that the hearts of the children would be opened to the message that they had to give. A miracle happened that morning, because when the group began the schools, the children paid attention to their teachers and to the puppet shows. It was as though an entirely new group of kids had replaced the old group. The rest of the week was very successful. The plans were altered to meet the needs of the children. For example, the fifth and sixth grades were told stories about Nicky Cruz and gang-fights in New York, because they seemed to listen better to stories that they could relate to.
Over the course of the week, the singles group had been told to lock-up everything, because the children were inclined to steal. At the end of the week, the group had been very fortunate that nothing had been taken. Friday afternoon, there was no one in the church when a couple of singles needed to get into the locked church. Seeing their predicament, a couple of children came to their rescue by taking off the screen to one of the windows and climbing in to unlock the door. The singles asked them why they had not done this before, and the children responded by saying that they liked this group from First Baptist and didn't want to hurt them.
When it came time to leave Philadelphia, the hearts of both groups of people were breaking. The children had grown very fond of their teachers, and the singles didn't want to leave the neighborhood. Several kids tried to hide inside the vans or on the top of the trailer, but the singles had to reluctantly tell them to go. As the two vans of singles left Philadelphia, the children ran after them, and there was not a dry eye in the group.
With the enthusiasm that they brought back from their trip, the Singles made their church aware of the mission opportunities in the Philadelphia area, so plans were started to return to Philadelphia the following year.
In March, 1981, Gaynor Yancey visited First Baptist in Columbia to thank those who had been to Philadelphia the previous year and to acquaint the church with the continuing need for social ministries. In May, the singles signed up to teach Vacation Bible School. Where there were twenty people who signed up in 1980, over seventy people expressed an interest in going to Philadelphia this time. During the next three months, several singles dropped out, but almost forty singles did make the commitment to go to Philadelphia.
Many changes were made, mainly due to the size of the group, but also because there was more to do this year. The church that they would be working in was Trinity Baptist Church in the Fairmount Park area of Philadelphia. The neighborhood was not as rough as the one in Kensington, but perhaps just as run-down. There would only be one school, instead of two, so there was more specialization on the part of each person who went. For example, the church needed repairs, so there were some people who went for the expressed purpose of helping with the construction. In the area of the VBS itself, there were the teachers for pre-school through sixth grade, but there were also people in charge of crafts, telling Bible stories, recreation, and puppet shows. Another difference was the attitude of First Baptist Church in sending the singles to this mission place. In 1980, the WMU gave the singles food for the week and planned out meals, but this time around, the church as a whole gave money to the group to use for their expenses. The most meaningful difference was that of prayer support. Certainly, there were people praying for the first trip, but the second trip was more prayer-oriented. Each member of the mission trip was assigned to one or more people in the church to pray for that person, by name, every day of the week. The strength of that prayer was evident the first day of VBS, because over sixty children came to the park where the school was held, even though only about twenty children were expected to attend.
In addition to the puppet show being performed for each grade every day, a day camp, which was not related to the VBS, allowed their children to attend the shows, and the singles used that ministry as a special witness to the neighborhood.
On Friday, the singles worked with the fourth, fifth, and sixth grades in presenting the plan of salvation to these children. Several children responded favorably to this overture by the singles, and Bibles were distributed so that every child would have his own copy.
When the singles left Philadelphia this time, there were no children running after the vans, mainly due to the fact that they left in a blinding rainstorm, but a couple of children stood out in the rain to say goodbye to their favorite teachers.
First Baptist Church Singles are doing something for the Lord and are also doing something for themselves in improving their own self-image. They plan to continue this cooperation with Philadelphia long into the future.
In 1980, the Singles Department at First Baptist wanted to reach out beyond the confines of its own community, so the Home Mission Board suggested that they look to the Delaware Valley Baptist Association, and especially Philadelphia, where they might be some help to this fledgling Southern Baptist ministry. With some advance work between Baxter Wynn of First Baptist, Columbia and Gaynor Yancey of Philadelphia, the agreement was reached. First Baptist would send twenty singles to Philadelphia to conduct two Vacation Bible Schools in the Kensington area of Philadelphia and work out of the Frankford Avenue Baptist Church. Ms. Yancey, who was the Director of Christian Service Ministries for Delaware Valley, served as their contact and guide.
The group from First Baptist consisted of teachers, artists, technicians, and other assorted professions, who used their vacation time for this project. Each grade, pre-school through sixth grade, had a worker, and there were four people who did puppet shows for both schools.
The twenty singles lived in Frankford Avenue Church for the week that they were there. Due to the high-crime area where the church was located, the door to the church had to be locked at all times. There was a doorbell at the entrance to the church, and a code had to be set-up whereby the singles would know if one of their own was at the door, as opposed to just anybody trying to get into the church.
The first day of Vacation Bible School was a complete disaster. All of the plans that were made by the teachers failed. The children would not listen to their teachers. There was an atmosphere of total anarchy on the part of the children, and the singles went back to the church that afternoon feeling frustrated and helpless. The plans that had taken over three months to formulate were shot down and destroyed in a little over three hours. The fifth and sixth grades wither knew all of the Bible stories or didn't want to listen. The pre-school area had to contend with the mothers of the children watching over their little ones, since they didn't trust the singles.
At the beginning of Tuesday morning, before VBS, there was a prayer meeting, where the singles asked God to give them strength and patience with the children. They also prayed that the hearts of the children would be opened to the message that they had to give. A miracle happened that morning, because when the group began the schools, the children paid attention to their teachers and to the puppet shows. It was as though an entirely new group of kids had replaced the old group. The rest of the week was very successful. The plans were altered to meet the needs of the children. For example, the fifth and sixth grades were told stories about Nicky Cruz and gang-fights in New York, because they seemed to listen better to stories that they could relate to.
Over the course of the week, the singles group had been told to lock-up everything, because the children were inclined to steal. At the end of the week, the group had been very fortunate that nothing had been taken. Friday afternoon, there was no one in the church when a couple of singles needed to get into the locked church. Seeing their predicament, a couple of children came to their rescue by taking off the screen to one of the windows and climbing in to unlock the door. The singles asked them why they had not done this before, and the children responded by saying that they liked this group from First Baptist and didn't want to hurt them.
When it came time to leave Philadelphia, the hearts of both groups of people were breaking. The children had grown very fond of their teachers, and the singles didn't want to leave the neighborhood. Several kids tried to hide inside the vans or on the top of the trailer, but the singles had to reluctantly tell them to go. As the two vans of singles left Philadelphia, the children ran after them, and there was not a dry eye in the group.
With the enthusiasm that they brought back from their trip, the Singles made their church aware of the mission opportunities in the Philadelphia area, so plans were started to return to Philadelphia the following year.
In March, 1981, Gaynor Yancey visited First Baptist in Columbia to thank those who had been to Philadelphia the previous year and to acquaint the church with the continuing need for social ministries. In May, the singles signed up to teach Vacation Bible School. Where there were twenty people who signed up in 1980, over seventy people expressed an interest in going to Philadelphia this time. During the next three months, several singles dropped out, but almost forty singles did make the commitment to go to Philadelphia.
Many changes were made, mainly due to the size of the group, but also because there was more to do this year. The church that they would be working in was Trinity Baptist Church in the Fairmount Park area of Philadelphia. The neighborhood was not as rough as the one in Kensington, but perhaps just as run-down. There would only be one school, instead of two, so there was more specialization on the part of each person who went. For example, the church needed repairs, so there were some people who went for the expressed purpose of helping with the construction. In the area of the VBS itself, there were the teachers for pre-school through sixth grade, but there were also people in charge of crafts, telling Bible stories, recreation, and puppet shows. Another difference was the attitude of First Baptist Church in sending the singles to this mission place. In 1980, the WMU gave the singles food for the week and planned out meals, but this time around, the church as a whole gave money to the group to use for their expenses. The most meaningful difference was that of prayer support. Certainly, there were people praying for the first trip, but the second trip was more prayer-oriented. Each member of the mission trip was assigned to one or more people in the church to pray for that person, by name, every day of the week. The strength of that prayer was evident the first day of VBS, because over sixty children came to the park where the school was held, even though only about twenty children were expected to attend.
In addition to the puppet show being performed for each grade every day, a day camp, which was not related to the VBS, allowed their children to attend the shows, and the singles used that ministry as a special witness to the neighborhood.
On Friday, the singles worked with the fourth, fifth, and sixth grades in presenting the plan of salvation to these children. Several children responded favorably to this overture by the singles, and Bibles were distributed so that every child would have his own copy.
When the singles left Philadelphia this time, there were no children running after the vans, mainly due to the fact that they left in a blinding rainstorm, but a couple of children stood out in the rain to say goodbye to their favorite teachers.
First Baptist Church Singles are doing something for the Lord and are also doing something for themselves in improving their own self-image. They plan to continue this cooperation with Philadelphia long into the future.
Friday, March 20, 2015
Without Self
Mrs. Parsons. Anything interesting in the paper?
Mr. Parsons. Don't be silly dear. Oh, here's an item. "Police Raid House, Catch 12 people with
Drugs". Wonder if James knows any of them?
Mrs. Parsons. Oh George, you can't be serious, could you? Our James is a good boy. He wouldn't
associate with those kind of delinquents!
Mr. Parsons. Perhaps you're right dear. What's for dinner?
Mrs. Parsons. Veal and rice. Better go check on it.
(Mr. Parsons continues reading the newspaper for approx. 30 seconds, when James
enters and starts walking across the room without speaking.)
Mr. Parsons. What's the matter? Cat got your tongue? What do you say?
James. Good evening father.
Mr. Parsons. That's better, now where have you been?
James. Out.
Mr. Parsons. Out where?
James. I was out walking, that's all.
Mr. Parsons. Well James, you had better wash up. Dinner is almost ready.
(James walks out without replying. Mrs. Parsons comes back in.)
Mrs. Parsons. Did I hear James come in?
Mr. Parsons. Yes, something seemed to be bothering him.
Mrs. Parsons. Well, dinner's ready. Call the kids.
Mr. Parsons. Susan! James! Supper's ready.
(Susan runs through the living rook and turns back towards door in which she
came just as James comes in, walking slowly.)
Susan. Come on James. Supper's ready.
James. I'm coming. Just don't rush me, okay?
End of scene I
Scene II--dinner table
Mrs. Parsons. Did you have a good day at school, James?
James. Uh, what did you say?
Mrs. Parsons. Did you have a good day at school?
James. Uh, oh yeah, sure did.
Mr. Parsons. That's not the way to talk to your mother.
James. Yes mam, I had a nice day.
Mr. Parsons. That's better. Eat your dinner.
James. I'm not hungry.
Mrs. Parsons. You seemed to always like veal and rice before.
Susan. Maybe he's sick
James. (rising violently and storming out of the room) Sick of life!
Mrs. Parsons. You better have a talk with your son. He's never acted this way before.
Mr. Parsons. You bet I will. I can't have an outburst like that in THIS house! (exits)
Susan. Maybe he's just sick.
Mrs. Parsons. Maybe it's something he ate. Could it be the veal? How was you day today Susan?
Susan. Same as usual, Mom.
Mrs. Parsons. Get any tests back?
Susan. No mam.
(continue eating until Mr. Parsons comes back with a shocked expression
on his face)
Mrs. Parsons. Well, honey how did it go?
Mr. Parsons. He says that he's sick of life. He told me that he's just fed up with everything
and wants to die.
Mrs. Parsons. Why dear?
Mr. Parsons. I think it has to do with that drug story in the paper.
Mrs. Parsons. He takes drugs?
Mr. Parsons. I don't know. He might be.
Susan. Don't be ridiculous. He's just sick.
End of Scene II
Scene III--a few days later, Sandy and James are sitting in the living room, since
James has been grounded for a month. He can't go out except to school and even
then he's got to be back as soon as school is out.
James. ...And so my parents told me that if I didn't straighten up and fly right that I'd have
to be grounded for a month.
Sandy. What's the problem, Jim?
James. I don't know, it just seems like there's nothing to live for.
Sandy. Sure there is. What about love?
James. You're the only one I can talk to. I just can't seem to get it together. My parents
think I take drugs. My sister thinks I'm sick. My friends think I'm a fag. All I
have is you.
Sandy. Jim, don't worry about it. It will be all right. You just wait and see.
James. But my whole world is crumbling.
Sandy. Hey listen, Jim, you got me.
James. That's all I need. (Mrs. Parsons enters)
Mrs. Parsons. All right. Time's up, James. Sandy's got to go home.
James. It's only 10 o'clock.
Mrs. Parsons. Goodbye Sandy.
Sandy. Goodbye, Mrs. Parsons. Thank you for letting me come over.
Mrs. Parsons. You're quite welcome. Come back again.
Sandy. I will. Goodbye James.
James. Bye, Thanks for coming over. See you tomorrow.
Sandy. Okay, Goodbye. (exits)
Mrs. Parsons. Well, how was it.
James. Oh Mom, it's not my idea of fun.
Mrs. Parsons. If you'd just straighten up and fly right then you COULD go out. Now, why don't
you go to bed?
James. Why don't you leave me alone?
Mrs. Parsons. I'm just doing what's best for you. (end of Act I)
Mr. Parsons. Don't be silly dear. Oh, here's an item. "Police Raid House, Catch 12 people with
Drugs". Wonder if James knows any of them?
Mrs. Parsons. Oh George, you can't be serious, could you? Our James is a good boy. He wouldn't
associate with those kind of delinquents!
Mr. Parsons. Perhaps you're right dear. What's for dinner?
Mrs. Parsons. Veal and rice. Better go check on it.
(Mr. Parsons continues reading the newspaper for approx. 30 seconds, when James
enters and starts walking across the room without speaking.)
Mr. Parsons. What's the matter? Cat got your tongue? What do you say?
James. Good evening father.
Mr. Parsons. That's better, now where have you been?
James. Out.
Mr. Parsons. Out where?
James. I was out walking, that's all.
Mr. Parsons. Well James, you had better wash up. Dinner is almost ready.
(James walks out without replying. Mrs. Parsons comes back in.)
Mrs. Parsons. Did I hear James come in?
Mr. Parsons. Yes, something seemed to be bothering him.
Mrs. Parsons. Well, dinner's ready. Call the kids.
Mr. Parsons. Susan! James! Supper's ready.
(Susan runs through the living rook and turns back towards door in which she
came just as James comes in, walking slowly.)
Susan. Come on James. Supper's ready.
James. I'm coming. Just don't rush me, okay?
End of scene I
Scene II--dinner table
Mrs. Parsons. Did you have a good day at school, James?
James. Uh, what did you say?
Mrs. Parsons. Did you have a good day at school?
James. Uh, oh yeah, sure did.
Mr. Parsons. That's not the way to talk to your mother.
James. Yes mam, I had a nice day.
Mr. Parsons. That's better. Eat your dinner.
James. I'm not hungry.
Mrs. Parsons. You seemed to always like veal and rice before.
Susan. Maybe he's sick
James. (rising violently and storming out of the room) Sick of life!
Mrs. Parsons. You better have a talk with your son. He's never acted this way before.
Mr. Parsons. You bet I will. I can't have an outburst like that in THIS house! (exits)
Susan. Maybe he's just sick.
Mrs. Parsons. Maybe it's something he ate. Could it be the veal? How was you day today Susan?
Susan. Same as usual, Mom.
Mrs. Parsons. Get any tests back?
Susan. No mam.
(continue eating until Mr. Parsons comes back with a shocked expression
on his face)
Mrs. Parsons. Well, honey how did it go?
Mr. Parsons. He says that he's sick of life. He told me that he's just fed up with everything
and wants to die.
Mrs. Parsons. Why dear?
Mr. Parsons. I think it has to do with that drug story in the paper.
Mrs. Parsons. He takes drugs?
Mr. Parsons. I don't know. He might be.
Susan. Don't be ridiculous. He's just sick.
End of Scene II
Scene III--a few days later, Sandy and James are sitting in the living room, since
James has been grounded for a month. He can't go out except to school and even
then he's got to be back as soon as school is out.
James. ...And so my parents told me that if I didn't straighten up and fly right that I'd have
to be grounded for a month.
Sandy. What's the problem, Jim?
James. I don't know, it just seems like there's nothing to live for.
Sandy. Sure there is. What about love?
James. You're the only one I can talk to. I just can't seem to get it together. My parents
think I take drugs. My sister thinks I'm sick. My friends think I'm a fag. All I
have is you.
Sandy. Jim, don't worry about it. It will be all right. You just wait and see.
James. But my whole world is crumbling.
Sandy. Hey listen, Jim, you got me.
James. That's all I need. (Mrs. Parsons enters)
Mrs. Parsons. All right. Time's up, James. Sandy's got to go home.
James. It's only 10 o'clock.
Mrs. Parsons. Goodbye Sandy.
Sandy. Goodbye, Mrs. Parsons. Thank you for letting me come over.
Mrs. Parsons. You're quite welcome. Come back again.
Sandy. I will. Goodbye James.
James. Bye, Thanks for coming over. See you tomorrow.
Sandy. Okay, Goodbye. (exits)
Mrs. Parsons. Well, how was it.
James. Oh Mom, it's not my idea of fun.
Mrs. Parsons. If you'd just straighten up and fly right then you COULD go out. Now, why don't
you go to bed?
James. Why don't you leave me alone?
Mrs. Parsons. I'm just doing what's best for you. (end of Act I)
Thursday, March 19, 2015
A White Oak Staffer, 1982
A White Oak Staffer is a strange breed,
Intellectual stimulation is what they need,
A job description--there is none,
And perhaps, there should be one.
So, here are some things listed below,
But, I'm sure there are many mo'.
1. Wash dishes
2. Arrange chairs in conference rooms
3. Run canteen
4. Assist in reservation forms
5. Assist in checking in conferees
6. Answer phone
7. Lock-up buildings at night
8. Put-up and take-down the flags
9. Arrange serving line with appropriate food and drinks
10. Help serve the food
11. Help in bookstore
12. Round-up paddle boats
13. Put-out towels in rooms
14. Assist in first-aid room
15. Wrap silverware
16. Empty food and drink machines of money
17. Set-up audio-visual equipment when needed
18. assist at swimming pool
19. run errands
20. Help conferees with boxes
21. Wait on tables if banquet
22. Wipe tables
23. Move rocking chairs
24. Whatever else might be needed to do over the course of an average day and night
Yes, a staffer is a friend and helper to all,
But, oh what a joy when no one calls--
For a staffer to come back,
Because then it's time for a nap attack.
Intellectual stimulation is what they need,
A job description--there is none,
And perhaps, there should be one.
So, here are some things listed below,
But, I'm sure there are many mo'.
1. Wash dishes
2. Arrange chairs in conference rooms
3. Run canteen
4. Assist in reservation forms
5. Assist in checking in conferees
6. Answer phone
7. Lock-up buildings at night
8. Put-up and take-down the flags
9. Arrange serving line with appropriate food and drinks
10. Help serve the food
11. Help in bookstore
12. Round-up paddle boats
13. Put-out towels in rooms
14. Assist in first-aid room
15. Wrap silverware
16. Empty food and drink machines of money
17. Set-up audio-visual equipment when needed
18. assist at swimming pool
19. run errands
20. Help conferees with boxes
21. Wait on tables if banquet
22. Wipe tables
23. Move rocking chairs
24. Whatever else might be needed to do over the course of an average day and night
Yes, a staffer is a friend and helper to all,
But, oh what a joy when no one calls--
For a staffer to come back,
Because then it's time for a nap attack.
Wednesday, March 18, 2015
Whatever You Call Him, 2006
1. Father
2. Dad
3. Daddy
4. Pop
1. Papa
2. Pa
3. Whatever you call him...
4. His name is yours.
1. He put together toys at Christmas.
2. He fixed your bike.
3. He took you on trips.
4. You got your first car.
3. He wore the ties you gave him.
1. Maybe he was there for you.
2. And maybe not...
3. But he was your father.
4. Whatever you call him.
2. Some are still here.
3. And some have gone on.
1. Today we honor fathers.
2. This is their day.
3. Our heavenly father blesses them...
4. Every day.
1. Happy Father's Day...
2. Father
3. Dad
4. Daddy
1. Pop
2. Papa
3. Pa
4. And thank our Father for YOUR children.
1. Wherever they are.
2. Dad
3. Daddy
4. Pop
1. Papa
2. Pa
3. Whatever you call him...
4. His name is yours.
1. He put together toys at Christmas.
2. He fixed your bike.
3. He took you on trips.
4. You got your first car.
3. He wore the ties you gave him.
1. Maybe he was there for you.
2. And maybe not...
3. But he was your father.
4. Whatever you call him.
2. Some are still here.
3. And some have gone on.
1. Today we honor fathers.
2. This is their day.
3. Our heavenly father blesses them...
4. Every day.
1. Happy Father's Day...
2. Father
3. Dad
4. Daddy
1. Pop
2. Papa
3. Pa
4. And thank our Father for YOUR children.
1. Wherever they are.
Tuesday, March 17, 2015
You Broke The Rock, 1990
You broke the rock in my heart baby
You make me feel like I'm on cloud nine
You broke me out of my jail honey
And with you I'm feeling fine.
Too many times my heart had been broken,
Too many tears had come from my eyes,
Too many letters had gone unanswered,
Too many calls and no one's at home.
When I'm with you--my life is so happy,
When I'm with you--I feel so free,
When I'm with you--I can't stop laughing,
'Cause when I'm with you--you're with me.
We may not always live together
We may not laugh every day forever
We may not dream of a life unceasing
But I can't live today without you.
You make me feel like I'm on cloud nine
You broke me out of my jail honey
And with you I'm feeling fine.
Too many times my heart had been broken,
Too many tears had come from my eyes,
Too many letters had gone unanswered,
Too many calls and no one's at home.
When I'm with you--my life is so happy,
When I'm with you--I feel so free,
When I'm with you--I can't stop laughing,
'Cause when I'm with you--you're with me.
We may not always live together
We may not laugh every day forever
We may not dream of a life unceasing
But I can't live today without you.
Monday, March 16, 2015
Writing on the Wall, 1991
I went into a restaurant
To get a bite to eat,
I looked around for a waiter,
And I heard the food couldn't be beat.
I went to the rest room
To wash my hands before the food,
And I looked up to see
The writing on the wall.
The words on the tiles
didn't make much sense,
All it said was
"Life makes a good defense."
I went outside and asked around
Did anybody know what it meant,
Nobody did, but one looked at me,
And said, Maybe it's where we're sent.
He was no help as I left there,
And I went out to the street,
There I stopped a lot of folks,
Everyone I'd meet.
I told them I'd seen
The writing on the wall,
They just stared back at me,
Then I heard that familiar call.
Police! Police! one woman yelled,
And I ran away toward a local church,
I walked inside looking for a priest,
There were none but a parrot on a perch.
I asked the parrot what did it mean
The writing on the all--
He looked at me as if to smile
And said "Go down the hall."
I went down the hall
Which led to a door,
I opened it wide and
Fell on the floor.
I got up to see
A man pointing up,
I looked at what it was,
It was the writing on the wall.
The writing on the wall makes you crazy,
The writing on the wall makes you scream,
The writing on the wall makes you sick,
But it's only a dream.
To get a bite to eat,
I looked around for a waiter,
And I heard the food couldn't be beat.
I went to the rest room
To wash my hands before the food,
And I looked up to see
The writing on the wall.
The words on the tiles
didn't make much sense,
All it said was
"Life makes a good defense."
I went outside and asked around
Did anybody know what it meant,
Nobody did, but one looked at me,
And said, Maybe it's where we're sent.
He was no help as I left there,
And I went out to the street,
There I stopped a lot of folks,
Everyone I'd meet.
I told them I'd seen
The writing on the wall,
They just stared back at me,
Then I heard that familiar call.
Police! Police! one woman yelled,
And I ran away toward a local church,
I walked inside looking for a priest,
There were none but a parrot on a perch.
I asked the parrot what did it mean
The writing on the all--
He looked at me as if to smile
And said "Go down the hall."
I went down the hall
Which led to a door,
I opened it wide and
Fell on the floor.
I got up to see
A man pointing up,
I looked at what it was,
It was the writing on the wall.
The writing on the wall makes you crazy,
The writing on the wall makes you scream,
The writing on the wall makes you sick,
But it's only a dream.
Sunday, March 15, 2015
Wrong?, 1971
To bare a life,
Is like killing all strife,
You got to have peace,
To find wars to cease.
Is like killing all strife,
You got to have peace,
To find wars to cease.
Saturday, March 14, 2015
Wow, 1974
The sky is green,
The grass is blue,
My world was turned around,
When I met you.
The clouds are brown,
The trees are white,
I feel so good,
Being with you tonight.
Oh my whole world
Is upside down from you,
You've made my life
Go good, too.
We're happy now,
And we will be
Happier later,
Don't you see?
The roads are gold,
The sun is black.
And now I'm gone,
And now I'm back.
The grass is blue,
My world was turned around,
When I met you.
The clouds are brown,
The trees are white,
I feel so good,
Being with you tonight.
Oh my whole world
Is upside down from you,
You've made my life
Go good, too.
We're happy now,
And we will be
Happier later,
Don't you see?
The roads are gold,
The sun is black.
And now I'm gone,
And now I'm back.
Friday, March 13, 2015
The World (part 4), 1970
segregation
integration--Black Panthers
Students for a Democratic Society
Weathermen
Chicago Seven
Black Militants--Watts
Newark
Harlem
Detroit
Washington--Riots
Demonstrations
Strikes
Murder
Assassinations
Nazis
Communists
Students Non-violent Coordinating Committee (SNCC)
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP)
Women's Liberation Front (WLF)
Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC)
Office of Economic Opportunity (OEO)
Welfare--Medicare
What is happening? Censorship
Clean Water
Clean Air
Over Population--Hunger
Poverty
Peace Now
Inflation
Income Tax
Black Power--Power to the People
Congress--Nationalists--Imperialists
Make love not War
Pig--Fascist--Bigot--Racist--John Birch Society
Why is it happening? Tricky Dicky
Spiro the Greek
George Wallace
Hubert Humphrey
Democrats
Republicans
Conservatives
Liberals
Independents
HEW--HUD
William Rogers
Melvin Laird
John Mitchell
...And the World Vietnam U.S.S.R. London
Middle East Berlin Paris
Rome Bangkok Taipei Peru
Zurich Hong Kong Argentina Brazil
Geneva Greece Africa Europe
Albania Red China Asia Ireland
Poland Yugoslavia
Czechoslovakia
...And these people
Mao Tse Tung--Kosygin--De Gaulle--Ho Chi Minh--
Thieu--Ky--Heath--The Queen--Constantine--Chiang--
Devlin
How?
PEACE--HOPE--LOVE--UNDERSTANDING--
TOGETHERNESS--KINDNESS--World Law--United
Nations--Disarmament--TRUST
What are we coming to?
Hope is the only thing that we have to use.
Without Hope, we cannot have How. We do not need the
Whos and Whats.
Let's show Peace, Hope, and Love in our hearts and
Make This a better world to live in.
Some had hope,
But the world couldn't cope
With the problems and people of today,
Show us the way.
integration--Black Panthers
Students for a Democratic Society
Weathermen
Chicago Seven
Black Militants--Watts
Newark
Harlem
Detroit
Washington--Riots
Demonstrations
Strikes
Murder
Assassinations
Nazis
Communists
Students Non-violent Coordinating Committee (SNCC)
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP)
Women's Liberation Front (WLF)
Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC)
Office of Economic Opportunity (OEO)
Welfare--Medicare
What is happening? Censorship
Clean Water
Clean Air
Over Population--Hunger
Poverty
Peace Now
Inflation
Income Tax
Black Power--Power to the People
Congress--Nationalists--Imperialists
Make love not War
Pig--Fascist--Bigot--Racist--John Birch Society
Why is it happening? Tricky Dicky
Spiro the Greek
George Wallace
Hubert Humphrey
Democrats
Republicans
Conservatives
Liberals
Independents
HEW--HUD
William Rogers
Melvin Laird
John Mitchell
...And the World Vietnam U.S.S.R. London
Middle East Berlin Paris
Rome Bangkok Taipei Peru
Zurich Hong Kong Argentina Brazil
Geneva Greece Africa Europe
Albania Red China Asia Ireland
Poland Yugoslavia
Czechoslovakia
...And these people
Mao Tse Tung--Kosygin--De Gaulle--Ho Chi Minh--
Thieu--Ky--Heath--The Queen--Constantine--Chiang--
Devlin
How?
PEACE--HOPE--LOVE--UNDERSTANDING--
TOGETHERNESS--KINDNESS--World Law--United
Nations--Disarmament--TRUST
What are we coming to?
Hope is the only thing that we have to use.
Without Hope, we cannot have How. We do not need the
Whos and Whats.
Let's show Peace, Hope, and Love in our hearts and
Make This a better world to live in.
Some had hope,
But the world couldn't cope
With the problems and people of today,
Show us the way.
Thursday, March 12, 2015
The Ballad of Choctaw Ridge, 1969
This is the story of Choctaw Ridge,
And a man that jumped of the Talahachee Bridge,
He lived to see the Yankees comin',
And the drummer boys a drummin'.
One day a soldier dressed in blue,
Wanted to see a cow that mooed,
The cow he saw was Joe's,
And Joe felt mighty low.
Joe said, "Yank,
Go down to the bank,
And get the cash,
And the corn mash."
The Yankee was surprised for sure,
He thought this farmer was poor,
He wasn't going to let this man boss him around,
So he said, "Let's have a show down."
The day came for the big fight,
The farmer pulled the trigger with all his might,
The Yankee took careful aim,
Because for this he had fame.
The farmer's gun was shot,
The Yankee's bullet had hit the spot,
On the farmer's shirt,
Where all the dirt,
Was by his heart,
The mortician said, "Bring in the cart."
It was twenty days after the fight,
Where the farmer pulled the trigger with all of his might,
And the Yankee felt real bad,
And oh so terribly sad,
He jumped off the bridge,
Off Choctaw Ridge.
And this ends the ballad of the Yankee man,
And the farmer, who is lying under this land,
In a grave,
Oh, he was so brave.
And a man that jumped of the Talahachee Bridge,
He lived to see the Yankees comin',
And the drummer boys a drummin'.
One day a soldier dressed in blue,
Wanted to see a cow that mooed,
The cow he saw was Joe's,
And Joe felt mighty low.
Joe said, "Yank,
Go down to the bank,
And get the cash,
And the corn mash."
The Yankee was surprised for sure,
He thought this farmer was poor,
He wasn't going to let this man boss him around,
So he said, "Let's have a show down."
The day came for the big fight,
The farmer pulled the trigger with all his might,
The Yankee took careful aim,
Because for this he had fame.
The farmer's gun was shot,
The Yankee's bullet had hit the spot,
On the farmer's shirt,
Where all the dirt,
Was by his heart,
The mortician said, "Bring in the cart."
It was twenty days after the fight,
Where the farmer pulled the trigger with all of his might,
And the Yankee felt real bad,
And oh so terribly sad,
He jumped off the bridge,
Off Choctaw Ridge.
And this ends the ballad of the Yankee man,
And the farmer, who is lying under this land,
In a grave,
Oh, he was so brave.
Wednesday, March 11, 2015
How Do I Know?, 1969
When I am tired,
And go to sleep,
I hear the ghosts and goblins creep.
I think it's a dream,
But how do I know,
It could be the wind as it blows,
How do I know?
How do I know?
How do I know if the wind blows,
How do I know?
How do I know?
I know just what it is.
On Halloween night when I am scared,
I try not to show my terrible fright,
I try to run away,
But the ghosts just keep me in their sight.
Oh, if I go out on the 31st again,
I'll never be frightened, no not again,
I'll try to be a man, Yes I will,
I just can't stand still.
How do I know?
How do I know?
How do I know?
How do I know?
How do I know just what it is,
How do I know?
How do I know?
How do I know just what it is?
And go to sleep,
I hear the ghosts and goblins creep.
I think it's a dream,
But how do I know,
It could be the wind as it blows,
How do I know?
How do I know?
How do I know if the wind blows,
How do I know?
How do I know?
I know just what it is.
On Halloween night when I am scared,
I try not to show my terrible fright,
I try to run away,
But the ghosts just keep me in their sight.
Oh, if I go out on the 31st again,
I'll never be frightened, no not again,
I'll try to be a man, Yes I will,
I just can't stand still.
How do I know?
How do I know?
How do I know?
How do I know?
How do I know just what it is,
How do I know?
How do I know?
How do I know just what it is?
Tuesday, March 10, 2015
A Seed in the Wind, 1969
One day a seed is planted in the ground,
The seed is so smooth and so round,
And when it rains, the ground gets wet,
And now the seed and air have met,
The seed grows its roots,
And it brings forth a green chute.
When it gets very tall,
The leaves on it do fall,
And on each leaf is a seed,
This in a plant is its need,
And then the leaves blow away,
Blows the wind that special day.
The seed travels everywhere,
Over every bird and bear,
It travels as long as the wind doth blow,
And then it lands on the water while it flows,
And when the water flows to a lake,
Little seed awake.
It is planted in the sand,
With God's helping hand,
It grows to make a little tree,
In the middle of the salty sea,
This little tree has not sinned,
With God's helping hand from blowing in the wind.
The tree will live,
It has so much to give,
Someday a man will chop it down,
It will be tied and bound,
And carried off to be some wood,
Oh if it would talk, it could,
It would say, "I was a tree,
For you and me,
I had a seed,
Which you will need,
For he which plants the seed beneath the sod,
And waits for it to raise the clod,
He trusts in God".
The seed is so smooth and so round,
And when it rains, the ground gets wet,
And now the seed and air have met,
The seed grows its roots,
And it brings forth a green chute.
When it gets very tall,
The leaves on it do fall,
And on each leaf is a seed,
This in a plant is its need,
And then the leaves blow away,
Blows the wind that special day.
The seed travels everywhere,
Over every bird and bear,
It travels as long as the wind doth blow,
And then it lands on the water while it flows,
And when the water flows to a lake,
Little seed awake.
It is planted in the sand,
With God's helping hand,
It grows to make a little tree,
In the middle of the salty sea,
This little tree has not sinned,
With God's helping hand from blowing in the wind.
The tree will live,
It has so much to give,
Someday a man will chop it down,
It will be tied and bound,
And carried off to be some wood,
Oh if it would talk, it could,
It would say, "I was a tree,
For you and me,
I had a seed,
Which you will need,
For he which plants the seed beneath the sod,
And waits for it to raise the clod,
He trusts in God".
Monday, March 9, 2015
The World (part 6), 1971
Happy?
Sad?
Love?
Hate?
Life?
Death?
Questions?
Answers?
Why are we here?
Where are we going?
No one knows.
People,
Places,
Power,
Pacifists,
All words--what about reasons?
War.
Money.
Business.
Music.
Realism.
PEACE PEACE PEACE PEACE PEACE PEACE PEACE PEACE PEACE
NOW
NOW
NOW
Sad?
Love?
Hate?
Life?
Death?
Questions?
Answers?
Why are we here?
Where are we going?
No one knows.
People,
Places,
Power,
Pacifists,
All words--what about reasons?
War.
Money.
Business.
Music.
Realism.
PEACE PEACE PEACE PEACE PEACE PEACE PEACE PEACE PEACE
NOW
NOW
NOW
Sunday, March 8, 2015
The World (part 3), 1968
The world is a big, round ball,
The world is rising and it falls,
But everyday is the same old day,
You know this is true,
Yes I do.
Wars and battles go on,
People scatter like pawns,
Everyday is the same old day,
Why is it,
I don't know, I just don't know.
Peace talks continue without a break,
Everybody eats a three-inch steak,
Why is everybody living while others are dying,
I don't know, but I do know why,
It's you! It's you!
You know what?
It's your fault,
Your fault,
You!
The world is rising and it falls,
But everyday is the same old day,
You know this is true,
Yes I do.
Wars and battles go on,
People scatter like pawns,
Everyday is the same old day,
Why is it,
I don't know, I just don't know.
Peace talks continue without a break,
Everybody eats a three-inch steak,
Why is everybody living while others are dying,
I don't know, but I do know why,
It's you! It's you!
You know what?
It's your fault,
Your fault,
You!
Saturday, March 7, 2015
World War III, 1974
Too often people die
that I know, and I wonder
who will be next, or maybe
the dead person will be me.
Everyday, I take my life
into my own hands by
walking on the street with
all our crazy drivers.
But who knows?
A rock could drop from
the sky and wipe us
all out and no one would
think about death, then.
that I know, and I wonder
who will be next, or maybe
the dead person will be me.
Everyday, I take my life
into my own hands by
walking on the street with
all our crazy drivers.
But who knows?
A rock could drop from
the sky and wipe us
all out and no one would
think about death, then.
Friday, March 6, 2015
Untitled
Take me to see
The Wizard.
The Wizard of Was.
What was is now
What can is gone
What could is done
What would is dead.
I wasn't scared
When they told me no
I didn't cry
When they told me no.
Just take me back
To what was was
To a time where we
Played beneath the stars.
We laughed and made
Up stories from the past
Our lives were so different
From what they are now.
Take me back to
See the Wizard of Was.
Make me into a child
Again--so I am not afraid anymore.
The Wizard.
The Wizard of Was.
What was is now
What can is gone
What could is done
What would is dead.
I wasn't scared
When they told me no
I didn't cry
When they told me no.
Just take me back
To what was was
To a time where we
Played beneath the stars.
We laughed and made
Up stories from the past
Our lives were so different
From what they are now.
Take me back to
See the Wizard of Was.
Make me into a child
Again--so I am not afraid anymore.
Thursday, March 5, 2015
Willie, Waylon, and Wanda, 1979
You listen to country music
and disco until dawn...
You laugh at the insane things
and at crazy people...
You talk about the power
and admire the glory...
You are a paradox of fun.
There was a time when a person
made me have fun and there were
no strings attached and my
withdrawal from that fun
was almost unbearable.
Then you came along and filled
a gap where a friend once was
and the fun is there as well
as the friendship and I
thank you for that.
You take pictures
and you are a picture...
and you are a country girl
at heart in the big city--Poor Kitty.
and disco until dawn...
You laugh at the insane things
and at crazy people...
You talk about the power
and admire the glory...
You are a paradox of fun.
There was a time when a person
made me have fun and there were
no strings attached and my
withdrawal from that fun
was almost unbearable.
Then you came along and filled
a gap where a friend once was
and the fun is there as well
as the friendship and I
thank you for that.
You take pictures
and you are a picture...
and you are a country girl
at heart in the big city--Poor Kitty.
Wednesday, March 4, 2015
Why Can't I? (Part 1), 1971
Why can't I see
What is meant to be?
Why was life brought to me?
Can't I see?
I want to know for myself.
Why can't I?
Why are people so very strange?
Can't you get within your range?
I know it's so very hard.
Why can't I?
Why are we so very cruel?
Can't we ever love?
I want to know for myself.
Why can't I?
Who do people just not care?
Can't you see what burdens you bear?
I think I know for myself.
Why can't you? Oh, I'm sorry, it's me (my fault)
Why Can't I?
(What we have here is a failure to communicate)
What is meant to be?
Why was life brought to me?
Can't I see?
I want to know for myself.
Why can't I?
Why are people so very strange?
Can't you get within your range?
I know it's so very hard.
Why can't I?
Why are we so very cruel?
Can't we ever love?
I want to know for myself.
Why can't I?
Who do people just not care?
Can't you see what burdens you bear?
I think I know for myself.
Why can't you? Oh, I'm sorry, it's me (my fault)
Why Can't I?
(What we have here is a failure to communicate)
Tuesday, March 3, 2015
Why Hate?, 1970
Why do people hate?
They wait for that avengeful date,
They put their rifles over their shoulders,
And they hide behind life's boulders.
There are sadists all around,
In every city and town,
They shoot and they kill,
On the top of life's hill.
They laugh and laugh,
While they cut people in half,
Why can't people have love?
Don't push or shove.
The sadists are our leaders,
Some are liars and some are cheaters,
Let all wars cease,
And let us please have peace.
They wait for that avengeful date,
They put their rifles over their shoulders,
And they hide behind life's boulders.
There are sadists all around,
In every city and town,
They shoot and they kill,
On the top of life's hill.
They laugh and laugh,
While they cut people in half,
Why can't people have love?
Don't push or shove.
The sadists are our leaders,
Some are liars and some are cheaters,
Let all wars cease,
And let us please have peace.
Monday, March 2, 2015
Why?, 1972
Why was the world made for men?
Why did happiness conquer the world?
Why has sadness taken over the world?
Why was the world created?
When was the world made for men?
When did happiness conquer the world?
When has sadness taken over the world?
When was the world created?
All questions no answers no happiness, too.
All people no worlds are in content, too.
Why did the people conquer the world?
Why did the world survive?
Why did happiness conquer the world?
Why has sadness taken over the world?
Why was the world created?
When was the world made for men?
When did happiness conquer the world?
When has sadness taken over the world?
When was the world created?
All questions no answers no happiness, too.
All people no worlds are in content, too.
Why did the people conquer the world?
Why did the world survive?
Sunday, March 1, 2015
Will it be Different This Time?, 1978
I am not here to uphold
yourself, and I am not here
to stay with you, but if
you think that you are to
stay with me--you're right.
Did I say that just now?
as it seems for now, that's
true, but what I'm saying
here is that you and I are
happy and let it be now.
I can't take you away
from another nor do I
pretend to try, but just
being a friend to you is
enough for me right now.
Dance and have fun, for
that's all I want for
you and maybe your fun
can carry over into my
life for a while.
yourself, and I am not here
to stay with you, but if
you think that you are to
stay with me--you're right.
Did I say that just now?
as it seems for now, that's
true, but what I'm saying
here is that you and I are
happy and let it be now.
I can't take you away
from another nor do I
pretend to try, but just
being a friend to you is
enough for me right now.
Dance and have fun, for
that's all I want for
you and maybe your fun
can carry over into my
life for a while.
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