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Elegy for an Empire: “far in the east a yellow cloud bank climbs stretching away to be part of tomorrow’s time.”

all that glory shining around and we’re all caught taking a dive

Here you stand… your mind/ your body/ all that you are (no matter where you are) is always at the exact center of the universe… and all the universe comes at you…. at the speed of light.

Here you stand… Moving out of and back into time at the speed of light… Here and Now… Here in the Now where the single thing in the universe that moves faster than light is time… Here where time… does not move at all.

Here and Now

and Now and Then

and Now and Forever…

World without end.

and the lights lie tumbled out like gems
the moon is nothing but a toothless grin
floating out on the evening wind
the smell of sweat and lube oil pervades the night
and the rush of life in flight at the speed of light

a million footsteps whispering
a guitar sounds — some voices sing
smoke on the breeze — eyes that sting
far in the east a yellow cloud bank climbs
stretching away to be part of tomorrow’s time.

earthbound while everything expands
so many grains of sand
slipping from hand to hand
catching the light and falling into dark
the world fades out like an overheard remark
in the falling dark.

light pours from a million radiant lives
off of kids and dogs and the hard-shelled husbands and wives
all that glory shining around and we’re all caught taking a dive
and all the beasts of the hills around shout, “such a waste!
don’t you know that from the first to the last we’re all one in the gift of Grace!”

132/33 HT: rabbit tobacco

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  • Dr. Jay August 15, 2021, 5:00 AM

    As always, Mr. Cockburn hits the mark. Although I’m more partial to his “Tie Me At The Crossroads” . . . but that’s just me.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJF1W-cElUs

  • Dank August 15, 2021, 7:08 AM

    One of his timeless and best here I think:
    “Lovers in a Dangerous Time”
    https://youtu.be/7IX4gWkFqvU
    Follow it up with the Bare Naked Ladies version as a chaser…there is hope. Life is good.

  • jwm August 15, 2021, 7:21 AM

    I am bone tired of poignant lyrics, moody photographs, and telling glimpses into the emptiness of the current mess. I am equally tired of well written essays describing our plight. Ditto for the righteous screeds, and “Listen up, asshole” blog posts.
    I want a fat line of Goodness, a dose of pure Truth, and a deep bowl of Beauty.
    I’m going to park it in the gazebo with Buddy the Cat, and take a W&B.

    JWM

  • Dirk August 15, 2021, 7:47 AM

    Awesome!.

    We are fancy ants, on a gigantic ant hill. Most choices determined by necessity.

    Does Life Really Have Meaning?.

    VI