it is the end of 2022
and what are we to do?
celebrate the newfound cold
and embrace all that is beautifully bold
there is a blessing in the air
a promise to live without fear
to love our family and all who are dear
this is what the universe wants us to do
to be kind and speak what is true
stand strong like sycamores against the wind
in this new year we begin again
to be grateful for all that is
and so the days will go by
carrying life like a sparrow song
our spirits dancing on and on
here’s to 2023 and all that is yet to be
Tag: Dancing
My Concerts Attended
I love music, but I’ve never been a big concertgoer. Almost every single one of the following concerts were initiated by friends. Of these, my favorite was seeing James Taylor at an outdoor venue in Santiago, Chile (1994). He took the stage after 1am and was absolutely captivating.
Bruce Springsteen
The Village People
Cedar Walton
Train
10,000 Maniacs
R.E.M.
The Connells
Hoodoo Gurus
Paul Simon
The Eagles
Rusted Root
G. Love & Special Sauce
Chucklehead
Groove Collective
De La Soul
A Tribe Called Quest
Gwen Stefani
Black Eyed Peas
Maceo Parker
Jackson Browne
Elvis Costello
Sting
James Taylor
Bonnie Raitt
The Rolling Stones
Everlast
Gipsy Kings
Prince
Indigo Girls
The Doors (minus Jim Morrison)
Dave Matthews
Drivin N Cryin
Branford Marsalis
My Definitive Songs
Sh’Boom (1954), The Chords
Church Bells May Ring (1956), The Willows
Everyday (1958), Buddy Holly
Words of Love (1958), Buddy Holly
What’d I Say (1959), Ray Charles
Blue Moon (1961), The Marcels
Sherry (1962), The Four Seasons
Do You Want To Know A Secret (1963), The Beatles
A Quick One While He’s Away (1966), The Who
Different Drum (1967), Linda Ronstadt w/The Stone Poneys
Pata Pata (1967), Miriam Makeba
Heroin (1967), The Velvet Underground
Suite: Judy Blue Eyes (1969), Crosby, Stills, and Nash
Carry On (1970), Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young
Ventura Highway (1972), America
I Saw the Light (1972), Todd Rundgren
Satellite of Love (1972), Lou Reed
I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend (1976), The Ramones
Year of the Cat (1976), Al Stewart
Sentimental Lady (1977), Bob Welch
The Passenger (1977), Iggy Pop
Message To You Rudy (1979), The Specials
Cruel To Be Kind (1979), Nick Lowe
Once In A Lifetime (1980), Talking Heads
Ashes to Ashes (1980), David Bowie
Seven Year Ache (1981), Rosanne Cash
Come On Eileen (1982), Dexys Midnight Runners
This Must Be The Place (1983), Talking Heads
Harborcoat (1983), R.E.M.
Back to the Old House (1984), The Smiths
The Hand That Rocks the Cradle (1984), The Smiths
What She Said (1985), The Smiths
The Headmaster Ritual (1985), The Smiths
Here Comes Your Man (1987), The Pixies
Birthday (1987), The Sugarcubes
Waiting Room (1989), Fugazi
Vanity Fair (1989), The Ocean Blue
Halah (1990), Mazzy Star
Silent All These Years (1991), Tori Amos
Don’t Panic (1999), Coldplay
Californication (1999), Red Hot Chili Peppers
Country Grammar (2000), Nelly
Island in the Sun (2001), Weezer
Girl Inform Me, (2001), The Shins
Here I Dreamt I Was An Architect (2002), The Decemberists
Saint Simon (2003), The Shins
Believe Me Natalie (2004), The Killers
Good People (2005), Jack Johnson
When You Were Young (2006), The Killers
The Funeral (2006), Band of Horses
Upside Down (2006), Jack Johnson
Riptide (2013), Vance Joy
A Sky Full of Stars (2014), Coldplay
No Tears Left To Cry (2018), Ariana Grande
everything i wanted (2019), Billie Eilish
MILLE (2021), Fedez, Achille Lauro, Orietta Berti
Vanderbilt Rain
Ciao San Francisco
24 years later i left
without a sound, wearing a
mask like I’d robbed the place
no longer the 23-year old
point reyes camping in the rain
studio-living kid applying to
grad school while dancing at
the elbo room, time has
passed, but that city of hills
dwells forever inside me
yes, it will always have my
heart, but just like everything
we had to part
Nutcracker Rehearsal
Tree Talks About Dancing
They worry about me in pounding wind,
that I might collapse, my weight crushing
fence, roof, windshield. It never crosses
their mind that I might be dancing, green
leaves, trunk, thump-shaking, swaying.
That this is my journey song, while roots
hold tight. Air my music, feel it move, groove,
and yes, one day I will topple this glory.
Daniel W. Polk 