It was Saturday afternoon, and the house was quiet. Marcee and her sisters had gone to the next town over to buy some building supplies; Frank was working on the wiring down in the apartment we were renovating; I was in desperate need of a nap. I sat down at the kitchen table in front of my computer, checked my email, and closed my eyes.
While the house was still from the voices and movement of family and pets, the wind outside was ferocious. The wind howled and roared and shook the house sitting on the canyon's rim. There was something very calming about the sound of the wind racing through the canyon below.
For whatever reason, an old Bruce Cockburn song kept running through my head and the wind picked up the rhythm. As hard as I tried to go to sleep, I kept thinking about the roaring outside and thought would try my hand (once again) and writing song lyrics. (My apology to Bruce whose phrasing I used.)
Canyon Wind
Lander, WY
March 12, 2022
There’s a strong wind blowing from the canyon down below,
Tracing out the line where is snow is sure to go.
And I’m trying to shake the cold off.
Yeah, I’m trying to shake the cold off.
The wind sings loudly as it cuts through the trees.
An unknown song that's familiar unto me.
And I’m trying to learn the melody.
Just trying to learn the melody.
Who can say where or when the wind begins,
But it’s blowing like it’s going to where it never ends.
And it is taking me for a ride,
To the places I cannot hide.
Cannot hide.
Pulling on my sleeve and urging me to go.
The song is enticing, but I don’t want to go.
I know that I should stay here,
But I know that I can't stay here.
I don’t know how the wind knows my name,
But it calling out to me just the same. Maybe I should go alone,
And see where the wind calls home.
The wind is blowing through eternity.
Nothing to hold on to, but it’s a holding on to me.
And I’m caught up in the wind now.
Gonna find out what’s at the end now.
Still working on phrasing!
p.s. In a strange turn of events, the poem was selected to be published in this year's North Carolina's 2022 Bard's Anthology. Who knew I was a bard? I was very flattered!