I walked in dewey, cooling weather to the Rapid Station and saw some eco-conscious urban art that gave me hope, got off the train and saw an angel in Tower City, and finally, was amazed by the raw Soul Train talent shown here:
My heart shines with love for Cleveland. One of my dad's nicknames for me is "Punkin Head". I am not sure why. I never had red hair, but I do have a funny connection to pumpkins since I probably thought about them more than most over the years.
I am surprised how quickly summer is over--autumn's beaches empty but for birds. Pale afternoon winds have me at a loss for words. I can paint a picture any way you can shout it, but sometimes the quiet things I can only depict with bare feet on a wooden floor.
"State of life, may I live, may I love coming out the sky, I name me a name coming out silver word for what it is it is very nature of the sound, the game
Siamese, Indonese, to Tibet treat the life as a game, if you please (hey) coming up Caribee such a freedom derives from a meditative state movin' on, believe that's it, call it magic third world, it is, I only guessed it
I was listening to Sly and the Family Stone the other day: Everyday People, Que Sera Sera, Dance to the Music, I Want to Take you Higher, Stand, Family Affair, You Can Make it if You Try. I was feeling so good listening and singing along when I realized how lucky I was to be raised listening to those songs.
We had several of their albums in my parents vinyl collection. Yes, the music is infectiously soulful and funky, but what struck me were the messages contained within. My outlook on life--generally optimistic, open-minded, fun-loving, hard-working-- can be summed up quite accurately in Sly and the Family Stone lyrics.
Made me wonder what kids are listening to these days and how it will color their world view. Here is my life philosophy summed up by Sly, Freddie, Larry, Rosemary, Greg and Cynthia:
Everyday People
Sometimes I'm right and I can be wrong
My own beliefs are in my song
The butcher, the banker, the drummer and then
Makes no difference what group I'm in
I am everyday people . . .
I am no better and neither are you
We are the same whatever we do
You love me you hate me you know me and then
You can't figure out the bag l'm in
I am everyday people
Stand
In the end you'll still be you One that's done all the things you set out to do Stand There's a cross for you to bear Things to go through if you're going anywhere Stand For the things you know are right It s the truth that the truth makes them so uptight Stand All the things you want are real You have you to complete and there is no deal Stand. stand, stand