Poems

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jethro's picture

I don't know what to say

A poem crafted in a workshop at www.thehighcalling.org retreat in Texas November 2014.
We were given the sentence "I don't know what to say" and told to add two additional sentences.

a medical chart with a flat line
i didn't know what to say
white flowers falling into an open grave

My thoughts as this poem came into existence were around my friend Ian who had suffered 3 heart attacks earlier this year and I had visited him in intensive care. I had thought at the time that would be the last time I would ever see him. He has currently survived.

 

And some photos from our time here.

2014-11-22 Laity Lodge 060

2014-11-22 Laity Lodge 046

2014-11-22 Laity Lodge 065

jethro's picture

Freedom

A poem I wrote in February 1999. Photos by myself.

Freedom

High

Riding

Catch the wave

Green room opening

Maximum pleasure

2012-02-17 Caloundra 197Close out happens

Once again

Wipeout

Life (Shit)

Chorus

Sun burns on my back

Waves splash in my face

Sand is in my pants

I don't give a shit

 

On

Kick-start

Throttle wide

Hit the highway

2012-11-12 Texas Country 092Maximum pleasure

Corner too fast

Hit the dirt

Smashed up

Life (Shit)

Chorus

Riding down the highway

Cool wind in my hair

Tears whipped from my eyes

I don’t give a shit

jethro's picture

Daughter

A poem I wrote in 1998 to two good friends who lost a baby just a few days after birth.

Mere words are never enough

We wish we were there to hold you and share in your loss

In this bittersweet time as Jesus takes your precious daughter to a better place

 

We hold you up in our prayers

Our love for you is not as strong as His

Let His arms enfold you and strengthen you in ways we never could

 

The life of your daughter was short

But she touched our lives in a very special way

May she sing with the angels in heaven tonight in praise to God

© Timothy Miller 1998

jethro's picture

Rabid

Rabid is a song I wrote in 1998. The notes at the bottom were for a band that took this song and performed it a number of times at events. They are now defunct.

 

1) Right thru these four walls

Out into the city

Maxicabs are flashing by

Limousines just glide

 

2010-05-22 Brisbane City at Night 2872) You can feel the music pumping

You can feel the city vibe

Energy in action

Solicitude you can’t find

 

The girls are out there walking…….

There’s something out there stalking……

 

3) It feeds off all the flavours

The smells, the tastes, the sights

No concrete self-awareness

Its animal; its alive

 

4) It hides, conceals awaits

For its unsuspecting foes

They scream out loud

It sucks – they stop!

It feeds, moves on, it preys

 

(Verse 1 repeat)

Right thru these four walls

Out into the city

Maxicabs are flashing by

Limousines just glide

 

2010-05-22 Brisbane City at Night 3065) Is it all that pretty

Is it all that nice

Or is it out there waiting

Like your other side

 

6) Which world do you live in

To which you go to hide

Or are you a silent stalker

Just feeding off the vibe

 

© Timothy Miller 1998

Musical short notes to Rabid

Start with a long slow guitar driving sound – basically a strum that goes on and on – repeated a few times – slowly building in volume – Bass to be keeping a very low volume

8 beats before verse 1 starts the drums will start with a double tap- off beat and then first beat

After 1st verse increase bass volume

At end of 1st verse drums crash in – starting from high tom and crashing down and then keep on drumming – rhythm drives into a big walled sound

Stop the rhythm guitar and bass for a couple of secs to say ‘the girls are out there walking” then one big strum then stop again for “there’s something out there stalking” – this sentence to be said with a huge delay (sounds like being inside a big empty warehouse) and an echo to get a “stalking…. talkin… alkin….” Echo

Now the rhythm and bass come back and the temp speeds up

Now come up one key and into a more frenzied attack on the rhythm guitar as the next 2 verses (3 & 4) are sung one after the other.

Go to a quick bridge into the lead guitar starting a long winding riff getting higher and higher ending in a big feed back loop to fade back to just the basic starting sound – drums finish up with some big rolls then go to brushes – or else real light

Repeat verse 1

Verses 5 & 6 sung one after the other

last two lines of verse 6 to be at an almost hush as the sound fades out – but as singer finishes “feeding off the vibe” the drums crash back in and all the guitars go back into an all out finish off