Hold Fast to the Grass, Child; the Earth Always Spins

[EleCivil]

Hold Fast to the Grass, Child; the Earth Always Spins (June '04)

With three days gained and a new pair of shoes

Started moving for a reason to find a reason to move

To find a place, a thing, a person, job, jail, self-respect

With a map of sympathetic squats and songs to speed the steps

Thought I?d leave no trail to follow, let no one find my clues

As I crossed the country whistling songs

and writing ramblin? blues

Met a man stopped on I-seven-five, his tires had run flat

Said his name was not important and nor was mine, at that

Said ?It?s plain dangerous to just be walking around,

We need aluminum armor, we need tires on the ground,

We need cylinders, brakes and fossil fuels.?

A man stopped on I-seven-five

taught me the ramblin? blues

Went to sleep when it turned dark, lay hidden in the dirt

Woke up before the sun arose, a spider on my shirt.

I said ?Excuse me, sir, could you move your legs??

He said ?I stayed too long here, anyway.

But thanks for not just slapping me off, like most people do to you

When you?re an arachnid on the road,

spinning out the ramblin? blues.?

Found a freight train headed out so I shrugged and climbed inside

Found out I wasn?t first young man to try to hitch this ride

Found a dozen more all sitting around talking

Making plans, taking breaks from walking

One held a switchblade, one a gun, so I guess I had to choose

Do I try to fight, try to run,

or do I tell ?em my ramblin? blues?

As things turned out, they were ramblin?, too

And always glad to add another man to their crew

They were cruisin? around, singing ?We Shall Not Be Moved?

Because when it came to protest, it was a simple tune

And the suits with the guns didn?t seem to mind, and they seemed to tip well, too

Dropping quarters into hats and shaking their heads

at their rendition of the ramblin? blues.

Took my leave to head on out, feet kicking on the road again

When I met a serpent on the sidewalk with a lisp a shifty grin

He said, ?Don?t tense up, kid, I?m not looking to fight.?

And as I lowered my guard, he took a bite

So as he crept away I felt a sting creeping from my shoes

The venom burning in my legs

to end my ramblin? blues.

Well, I was numb from the hips on down,

It was looking like I wouldn?t get back to town

So I stepped out to the road and raised my thumb up to the sky.

And who should stop but the man I?d met stranded on I-seven-five.

He said ?What?d I tell you, son, you?re a fool.

Now hop in back and close your eyes

try to dream up some ramblin? blues.?

The Nurse said that logically I should?ve been dead

That I was lucky that the venom didn?t reach my head

And asked me where I wanted to go.

I shook my head and raised my hands, in a gesture said ?I don?t know.?

?How about some place,? She said, ?where the snakes can?t get to you??

And that sounded nice, to get back home

and close my ramblin? blues.

When I got home and told the family about

All the people I?d met, all the things I?d found out,

Grandma looked around and said ?What?d I say?

I knew the kid?d find out on his own some day,

That the Earth spins, child, and the soil is loose

So hold fast to the grass with both of your hands

or you?ll feel those ramblin? blues.?

[Tragic Rabbit]

Sigh. Elecivil, I do love you and your lovely, lordly English. Envy, no, not me. Loved this. You're a master wordsmith, darling.

Kisses...

TR

[blue]

Wow. Just wow.

Two thumbs up, or maybe one thumb out.

If if weren't chilly out, I'd go out barefoot in the back yard.

Here's to spinnin' around on this ol' world for many more spins to come. And every once in a while, put your hands and bare feet in the grass, and hold fast, 'cause EleCivil's got sense.

Oh yeah, and he can write too.

[Codey]

this was amazing! maybe TR isn't jealous, but I sure as heck am!!

Codey

[dude]

Wow.... :roll: that's a tough act to follow! Bet that one makes it to 'prime time.'

Codey... welcome back 'lil dude. Hope you're 1000% better!

[EleCivil]

Thanks, guys!

[Rigel]

Is there a guitar part?

Or maybe a tune, unless it's a talking blues?

Seems like it's meant to be performed...

--Rigel

[EleCivil]

Is there a guitar part?

Or maybe a tune, unless it's a talking blues?

Seems like it's meant to be performed...

--Rigel

Nope, I can't play or read music. I guess you could put it to Ryan Harvey's "Talkin' Talkin' Blues" tune, though-

"If you're tired of corporate oppression,

Or tired of fancy chord progressions,

Just write a talkin' song...

'Cause talkin' songs are easy, friends,

It's G, C, D, then G again,

With those three, you can't go wrong..."