Listen in
A new poem -- born on our recent trip to Texas.
When I finally felt far away
from all the things I couldn't save --
a black vulture appeared
at the edge of the swimming pool.
Our eyes had been blissfully closed
as we swayed in the sparkling water --
the vulture seemed unimpressed
by our presence or our pleasure.
She simply looked into our eyes
careened her long black neck
and boldly, unapologetically, drank her fill.
She drank and drank and drank
as we watched her
until finally she turned and walked away.
Drink up, drink up, drink up, my friends
Drink when you are thirsty
Don't let yourself become dry and bitter.
Alchemize the pain.
Keep going.
Don't let being afraid ever stop you.
And listen in, listen closely
The dead are not done teaching.
They could be speaking to you —
something they can only say
from where they are
now
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I don’t often share poems but maybe I will more often on this Substack space. It’s a bit of an experiment here for now. Thank you all for reading, and especially to those who have subscribed and even pledged (!). I appreciate it so much.
Stay tuned for music updates soon. And if you missed it, here is the link to a recent full band video of Nightbird.