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Dear Fljotsdale, Lizzy, et al,
Thanks for your encouragement.
"Plan A" is titled "This City".
"Plan B" was a reading of the lyrics of "Forever Young".
Andrew.

Is "This City" written by you? If so, I hope Plan A pans out. However, if "Forever Young"'s reading relates to a marriage, that's certainly a great choice. My former husband has played his guitar and sung it ~ both exquisitely ~ at a number of weddings, to celebrants who became teary-eyed in response. Its reading should be marvelous with your accent .

Dear Lizzy,
"This City" is mine; written by request. This is a double first for me: I've never written a poem when asked to do so, and I've never read at a wedding.
Since it's an occasional poem, I guess it won't travel further than Brooklyn.
Andrew.

Dear Andrew ~

Well, one never knows.....perhaps, if it lost its way, it might find its way here [after its virginal reading, of course ]. Is there no way for you to do both? Especially with the story that accompanies this one, it seems there would be a place for both of them at the event .

~ Yer Lizzy

You HAVE to post it here, Andrew! Both of 'em!

Can't wait to read 'em!

Dear Fljotsdale,
The lyrics of "Forever Young" are on so many B.D. websites: Allen Ginsberg said of this song "It should be sung by every child, every day, in every school, in every country, throughout the world".
He wasn't wrong.
"This City" will wait, for a week at least.
Andrew.
P.S. I can't wait to be there....read it....

I'll bet you can't [wait], Andrew .

Good call on Ginsberg's part regarding "Forever Young." So true. I feel, hmmmm, melancholy with a lovely feeling of vulnerability, just with the beginning of the passage of those lyrics through my mind. I truly love that song.

~ Lizzy

*cough* I didn't even know it was a Dylan song. I didn't even know it was a song. Erk! I am such an ignoramus!

Why do I keep opening my mouth and putting both feet into it?

Uhmmmmm...............because you're 'real' ? You can't be responsible for what you don't know. There are many my age who don't know the contemporary music from my Sixties period, because they were interested in and doing other things ~ listening to other kinds of music; having babies and raising families; working all the time to survive; building a career; whatever.

Now you know ~ and I guarantee that when you finally hear it, you'll love it! Besides, Fljotsdale ~ when a person speaks of doing a poetry reading, and reading two pieces, it's not unnatural for you to take it for granted that both pieces are poems . That title could easily be a poem's title.

Hey, just remember how well you scored on the Leonard quizzes ~ you can take those "feet in mouth" and "ignoramus" comments back immediately, if not sooner. Thanking you in advance for your cooperation, Ms. Fljotsdale .

~ Lizzy

LOL! You are so sweet, Lizzy! Yes, I was having my babies in the sixties. The only Dylan song I ever really knew about - and loved - was Lay Lady Lay (the smooth version not the nasty harsh-voiced one). I've listened to others since, but not that much, and Lay Lady Lay remains my favourite.

I put the words to Forever Young in a frame and put them up on my son's wall when he was a baby. I recall that those words were my greatest wishes for him at the time. (Now of course, I wish he'd get a couple of years older and take himself and his endless dirty washing and requests for food elsewhere .)

Diane

PS Lay Lady Lay is my fave BD song, too Fljots .

Dear Diane,
If those were your greatest wishes for him at the time, then it's about time we remind ourselves:


Forever Young

May God bless and keep you always,
May your wishes all come true,
May you always do for others
And let others do for you.
May you build a ladder to the stars
And climb on every rung,
May you stay forever young.
Forever young, forever young,
May you stay forever young.

May you grow up to be righteous,
May you grow up to be true,
May you always know the truth
And see the lights surrounding you.
May you always be courageous,
Stand upright and be strong,
May you stay forever young,
Forever young, forever young,
May you stay forever young.

May your hands always be busy,
May your feet always be swift,
May you have a strong foundation
When the winds of changes shift.
May your heart always be joyful,
May your song always be sung,
May you stay forever young.
Forever young, forever young,
May you stay forever young.


Bob Dylan ("I wrote this for my son Jakob.....it took me a couple of minutes")

Andrew.

P.S. Will I get into trouble for this?

Oh, beautiful, Andrew, thanks.

Diane

(I know it's a long way for you to travel, but are you free on the 7th Jan...? It would be great to have even more of the famous people from this site in attendance.)

Dear Diane,
With respect, who exactly are "the famous people from this site"
I'm not a member of that brigade, prefering to be masked and anonymous.
In the meantime, I've packing to do, and a flight to make today.
Bristol in January sounds cool, and probably frozen.
Andrew.

P.S. I don't play guitar...other L.C. nutters can be dragged down, and, for a small fee, will strum to the end of love.

Dear Andrew,

Well, it's my perception, from your posts (certainly not 'nonsense' ones like those you despair of in the gatherings thread), and from your works (some of which I've read on here) and from others' - those who have been around a lot longer than I have - reactions to you here, that you are 'famous on this forum'. I will not presume to list the others I might call famous, lest I be called upon to make further justifications. If you dislike that term I am happy to call you ‘another LC nutter', and I look forward to meeting you in Bristol, and, if you are willing, hearing a recital by your good self. Bristol will indeed be cool in January, may well be below zero. But then, it is good that whoever has to do the write-up gets to suffer for their art to the max.

Have a good trip.

Diane

PS Another famous Brit, er, I mean LC nutter I've noticed here, is Pete. I wonder if he could be persuaded to join us. Pete?