A conversatin with someone who is sad; why do you cry?

There was a challenge to write to the title “Why Do You Cry”. I resisted for a long time as I didn’t like the title. I worked on how to make a positive out of it. I came across a song by Jake Hiebert (Your Heart Belongs to You) that capsulated what I was thinking about. I took musical inspiration from Miles Davis (album Kind of Blue ) and early ’70’s Herbie Hancock syncopation and voicing. 

Why Do You Cry? (Paul Gallagher

SOCAN/ASCAP (IPI-377678792‬)

Intro:

Why do you cry

Come here babe

I see you’re upside down          

Dry your eyes on my shoulder

Go ahead and let it out

Vs 1:

Why do you cry babe……

Is it about the best friend 

You’ve known since you were eleven

Returning calls never come…and

A ghost into the desert

Lost the thread

You shared so much

Now she’s turned it down to off   

Are you missing the thick and buzzy talk talk?

Pre-Chorus:

Yeah, it’s tough

It won’t last forever

Let’s take a breath

You’re more than enough

Chorus:

Why do you cry, babe…

Whispers inside the head…

Are clouds rolling by..  

You answer only to you

Deep down you know

What is true

 

Vs 2:

Why do you cry babe……

Is it about your big brother 

Even though he’s two years younger

Your rock forever until he’s not

Cold shoulder girl

Hollow for his space

Something erased

Do you miss the hand on your shoulder

And hearing the words “It’s OK”

Pre-Ch

Chorus

Vs 3:

Why do you cry…….

Is it the unglued talk we had the other night

Yeah, we agree it was more of a fight

It was careless

We could have done better, yes

Expectations aside…

We’re two wheels on this bike…

Let’s try one more time

Now I’ll be quiet…

Outro:

Whispers inside the head…

Are clouds rolling by..

You answer only to you

Deep down you know 

What is true

Why do you cry babe

Talk to me…

Now I’ll be quiet  

You are more than enough…

Whispers inside the head…

Are clouds rolling by..

You answer only to you

Deep down you know 

What is true

I Shout it Out Loud

At a community open mic called The Bridge, we were challenged to write s song about learning. Have no idea where the idea to take on the Millennial age group as the protagonist came from and I researched what is going on in that world. Here is what I came up with.

VS

Don’t block the driveway

Don’t you park here

Nowhere to go now

There’s a hydrant over there

(It’s a dogs life) 

VS 

Where is that streetcar

It’s so late again, 

Look out, that car’s too close

Puddle is splashing

(Dripping wet) 

CH

I shout it out loud 

My face is red 

I shout it out loud 

Frustration I guess 

Or am I dismissed  

I shout it out loud 

What can I change 

What is the lesson here 

What’s the message I’m missing 

I shout it out loud 

I shout it out loud 

I shout it out loud 

VS 

Face Book is happy

They don’t have a care

I’m the one that’s shackled

To the merry-go-round here

(Ya nauseous) 

VS 

I’ll put on the brakes

Talk good to my brain

Snow my own gatekeepers

Move on out with 808

(Make some noise) 

CH

I shout it out loud 

My face is red 

I shout it out loud 

Frustration I guess 

Or am I dismissed  

I shout it out loud 

What can I change 

What is the lesson here 

What’s the message I’m missing 

I shout it out loud 

I shout it out loud 

I shout it out loud 

BR

Don’t want any handout  

Want space to grow 

Be brave you guardians

Unlock the zoo

Big game guardians

Unlock the zoo

What are you afraid of?

OUT

I’ve been locked out      

Give me a chance         

What is the lesson here 

What’s the message I missed                        

I shout it out loud          

I shout it out loud                    

There's a secret deal 

I’m breaking the code 

I own what I know         

I own what I do   

I shout it out loud          

I shout it out loud          

I shout it out loud         

I shout it out loud 
    

Object Writing May 16-19

Snippets

90 seconds

….Ground soft, tingly, on my back…. Birds, birds, birds, sing, sing, sing, clover field white and green, crunching with the roll over to look closer at you….

5 Minutes

….You are in the mirror with last nights sleep still hanging on; a drunken friend’s arm around your shoulder….

10 minutes

…..My hands are in my pockets to hug me and hold me. I’m bent a bit from the weather outside and the weather inside……

Object Writing May 15-19

Object Writing based on Pat Pattison’s exercises. Haven’t done it for a few years. Used to do it regularly, on the streetcar, on the way to work, to wake up the brain for the day ahead.

Decided to do it again for a week or so, as prescribed, for exactly 10 minutes, right after sliding out of bed.

May 15/19

Impetuous spray acidy shower – blinking - the smell is distinctly orange as I peel the thick skin from the inner flesh my fat fingers slip a bit on the outer moisture and inner juice that (the) nose knows the smell. My mouth is anticipating the fresh tingle of fruit hitting the tongue and cheeks. I look around sheepishly as some juice is dripping in spite of my careful attention. The airport lounge is echoing with the tiny wheels whining, hushed tones of parents soothing the cranky kids and tap tap of hard shoes and squeak of soft soles on the floor. The cathedral space is reverent. No one wants to make too much of a fuss. Each of us is in our own state of excitement. I’m hungry knowing there is time. Pull out the creaking plastic bag and slide open the re-useable track. There is a red apple. Exchange the thick, soft orange rind for the hard thin skin. Bite in with a pop and another spray, this time another smell replacing the….

Silky sleek water lying quietly deep

Silky sleek water lying quietly deep

Spooning each bank without a crease

The starry film is glassy and dark

Everyone seems to be asleep

Faerie Queen and her Daughter

Skip across the still water

Light tiny steps in harmony

No melody so true or softer.

The Indigo water holds the Magic

Ancient history in gravity

We may not see it at all

Cool June Moon is the key

Downstream

The voodoo breaks

Smooth avenue shakes

Water wakes

Babble and Hum

From calm Indigo to foam Green , 

The water wakes

Downstream

The duet sails to a faster tune

Ease and Flow

Away they go

We are with them now

Feel the glow

How do we know

We just know

The air is fresh

Anticipate what’s next

How do we know

We just know

Bring the oars in

Let our boat swim

Who wants it calmer?

Not the Faerie Queen and her Daughter

Turn the Page 

(Paul Gallagher November 22, 2017) ©

No excuses, I blew it and I hear you, Babe

I love your smile, helps me stay brave

Our book is so big, can you and I turn a page?

Snowflake patterns on the coffee shop window  

Inside a velvet glow of cinnamon and mistletoe

Our hands wrapped around the decorated mugs 

Our eyes locked on the cappuccino art

You bite your lip; and your eyes sound the alarm

 “You didn’t call me; I feel like an apostrophe”

Flash .... I see the world end                 

Flash....My mind is an 

Overturned cup 

I forgot you’re my friend

Tiger here is fear 

Showing up

Together we’re more than we see 

Thank you for 

Reminding me 

You are right, I was wrong,                                                                                                   

Tell me all about it,                                                                                        

What’s going on?

Twinkling lights and pine wreaths permeate the room

Our pocket corner is away from the Christmas tunes 

I pass you the sugar and you send over the cream

Without even trying our fingers meet

You look at me and then at your sleeve 

 “Could you be on time, for once; is that too much?”

Flash .... I see the world end                 

Flash....My mind is an 

Overturned cup 

I forgot you’re my friend

Tiger here is fear 

Showing up

Together we’re more than we see 

Thank you for 

Reminding me 

You are right, I was wrong,                                                                                                   

Tell me all about it,                                                                                        

What’s going on?

No excuses, I blew it and I hear you, Babe

I love your smile, helps me stay brave

Our book is so big, can you and I turn a page?

Trini Christmas Cake

©Paul Gallagher Dec. 11, 2017 Rev Dec 7-19

Half moon - in de sky

Near zero - North ‘a 49

Trini Christmas - on my mind

Trini Christmas - on my mind

I wanna piece - a Christmas Cake

Trini Cake .... Black Christmas Cake

I wanna piece - a Christmas Cake

I know it took so long to make....

Cake so heavy - give me backache

Trini Cake .... Black Christmas Cake

Rum id up, Spice id up, Love id up... non stop

Is de season to celebrate, 

Celebrate wid parang

Dancing an singing, 

Cooking an cleaning 

‘till we can’t stand

No warm id up, 

Let’s start id up 

Wid rum an puncha créme

I wanna piece a Christmas Cake......

Trini Cake ......Black Christmas Cake

Fin-a-lly, jet make touch down; 

Cra-zy taxi ride, into town

To Auntie Asha and Uncle Edwin; 

Already, Christmas lights – 

All around.........

Palm trees soca in de breeze

Parang from back yard, 

And parang from de beach….

No one can fall asleep.

Christmas time; time to fresh up,

New brushes, rollers an cans ‘o’ paint 

Uncle an Aunty ready to jump

Hang new curtains dat Auntie Asha make,

We gonna decorate.

I wanna piece - a Christmas Cake

Trini Cake .... Black Christmas Cake

I wanna piece - a Christmas Cake

I know it took so long to make....

Cake so heavy - give me backache

Trini Cake .... Black Christmas Cake

Rum id up, Spice id up, Love id up... non stop

Is de season to celebrate, 

Celebrate wid parang

Dancing an singing, 

Cooking an cleaning 

‘till we can’t stand

No warm id up, 

Let’s start id up 

Wid rum an puncha créme

I wanna piece a Christmas Cake......

Trini Cake ......Black Christmas Cake

Early morning, new stove come in

One by one cousins in de kitchen 

Assembly line, hand over hand, 

Cloves, sweet meat and cornmeal 

Making pastelles ........

All day long chitter chatter drinking sorrel

Me and Uncle Edwin start to clean 

Font yard an de porch

Friends lean over de fence 

Like parrots, to watch......

Out come de wine 

An out come de rum

Out come de cuatro, bottle an spoons

Looks like de cleaning

Won’t be done too soon.

I wanna piece - a Christmas Cake

Trini Cake .... Black Christmas Cake

I wanna piece - a Christmas Cake

I know it took so long to make....

Cake so heavy - give me backache

Trini Cake .... Black Christmas Cake

Rum id up, Spice id up, Love id up... non stop

Is de season to celebrate, 

Celebrate wid parang

Dancing an singing, 

Cooking an cleaning 

‘till we can’t stand

No warm id up, 

Let’s start id up 

Wid rum an puncha créme

I wanna piece a Christmas Cake......

Trini Cake ......Black Christmas Cake

6 PM an Christmas lights

Shining so bright

Christmas stockings, 

Hang de palm tree... 

Not too high.....

Auntie Asha still in de kitchen 

an floors do shine

Sky so dark 

All de stars a special light….

Dog bark announcing 

Parr-an-dero 

Get ready for de chak chak, guitars an toc toc

Come de kitchen, parang all night long.... 

‘Til all de ham is gone.........

Call de neighbours... roti an rum......

Dancing and laughing and sing-along

It’s Christmas time, Christmas time, 

Limin, limin all night long

It’s Christmas time, Christmas time, 

Limin, limin all night long

I wanna piece - a Christmas Cake

Trini Cake .... Black Christmas Cake

I wanna piece - a Christmas Cake

I know it took so long to make....

Cake so heavy - give me backache

Trini Cake .... Black Christmas Cake

Rum id up, Spice id up, Love id up... non stop

Is de season to celebrate, 

Celebrate wid parang

Dancing an singing, 

Cooking an cleaning 

‘till we can’t stand

No warm id up, 

Let’s start id up 

Wid rum an puncha créme

I wanna piece a Christmas Cake......

Trini Cake ......Black Christmas Cake