Ambulance Poem
Christine Moon
them)? I thought I had them saved but can't find them :-(
--
Peace, in John's memory,
Christine
*********************************
moon...@netcomuk.co.uk
"Friends of John Denver"
http://www.fojd.org.uk
*********************************
CASHMEING
though to walk near its edge was so pleasant.
But over its edge had slipped a Duke,
and it fooled many a peasant.
The people said something would have to be done
but their projects did not at all tally.
Some said, "put a fence around the edge of the cliff," others, "an ambulance
down in the valley."
The lament of the crowd was profound and loud
as their hearts overflowed with pity.
But the ambulance carried the cry of the day
as it spread to the neighboring cities.
So a collection was made to accumulate aid
and dwellers in highway and alley,
gave dollars and cents not to furnish a fence,
but an ambulance down in the valley.
For the cliff is alright if you're careful they said,
and if folks ever slip and are falling;
it's not the slipping and falling that hurts them
so much as the shock down below when they're stopping.
And so for years as these mishaps occurred
quick forth would the rescuers sally,
to pick up the victims who fell from the cliff
with the ambulance down in the valley.
Said one in his plea, it's a marvel to me
that you'd give so much greater attention
to repairing results than to curing the cause, why
you'd much better aim at prevention.
For the mischief of course should be stopped at its source;
come friends and neighbors let us rally.
It makes far better sense to rely on a fence than an ambulance down in the
valley.
He's wrong in his head the majority said.
He would end all our earnest endeavors.
He's the kind of a man that would shrink his responsible work, but we will
support it forever.
Aren't we picking up all just as fast as they fall,
and giving them care liberally.
Why a superfluous fence is of no consequence,
if the ambulance works in the valley.
Now this story seems queer as I've given it here,
but things oft occur which are stranger.
More humane we assert to repair the hurt, than the plan of removing the danger.
The best possible course would be to safeguard the source,
and to attend to things rationally.
Yes, build up the fence and let us dispense
with this ambulance down in the valley.
Hows that for a shocker? Cash knows something about John Denver.
LiteofVega
>Hows that for a shocker? Cash knows something about John Denver.
"There was never a doubt....
Never a doubt in my mind...."
;-)
Peace,
Mary in Oklahoma
"If you could see yourself through the eyes of the child you
used to be, would you look up to the person you are today?"
--Anonymous
Laura
the other day you even said John
had a "Great message"..
Careful now, or someone might think
YOU actually have a brain cell!
(and that you might actually know something about John, beyond TGIaCB)
;-)
Laura
CASHMEING
>YOU actually have a brain cell!
Thats all it took too. One brain cell to do a search on deja.com under
*ambulance down in the valley* and there it was. After I used that brain cell
it died off and six more formed to take its place. Stay tuned. You never know
what ol Cash will post next.
Hiway
this poem???
Hiway
* Sent from RemarQ http://www.remarq.com The Internet's Discussion Network *
The fastest and easiest way to search and participate in Usenet - Free!
Laura
that said "anonymous" on it. It
was on his chiropractors wall.
What a great message for a chiropractor!
Prevention!
NOT a stupid question!
But, you know.. just like "Four Strong Winds is listed as "anonymous" on the
"Forever, John" CD.. maybe it's an Canadian! (Four Strong Winds is written
by a famous Canadian folk singer..)
Laura
Laura
"know" this poem..
Now.. use those six brain cells, Cash,
and grow back 36.. and you are on
your way!
Laura
Plbbbbbbbbttttttt (is that how you spell
giving the raspberries?)
Theresa
"Laura" <chipan...@aol.comnospam> wrote in message
news:20000506192608...@ng-cm1.aol.com...
> But, you know.. just like "Four Strong Winds is listed as "anonymous"
on the
> "Forever, John" CD.. maybe it's an Canadian! (Four Strong Winds is
written
> by a famous Canadian folk singer..)
> Laura
Ian & Sylvia 1963 LP titled "Four Strong Winds" Ian Tyson wrote it and
the description of the song is as follows from the jacket:
"The lovely title song of the album, "Four Strong Winds" was composed by
Ian; like all good songs of its type it draws on personal experience.
"Canada has may seasonal workers," Ian explains, "and when the weather
turns harsh they must move on and find a different type of work. Many of
these people cross the country every year--from the tobacco harvest in
Ontario to the wheat harvest on the prairies to apple picking in British
Columbia. With the advent of fall they move on, perhaps to return with
the spring. This is a theme about which I've always wanted to write
songs." This bittersweet composition is remarkably effective."
I was lucky enough to run across this album last summer in my travels
and picked it up "for a song" ;) The original by Ian and Sylvia is
quite nice and plain and simple like a folk song should be with only the
guitar in the background. Their harmonies on the song itself are
beautiful and it sounds like a sweet little contemplative song. JD's
version, however, is quiet different.
I've played both versions this a.m. now....listening to the LP and then
JD's CD and the nuances came screaming to me in the forefront of this. I
may not be too good at interpreting song style, but I'm giving it a shot
here ;) Anyway, JD's version is _much_ better and I would hope that Ian
& Sylvia (what ever happened to them btw???) would be proud. John
literally gets inside of this song, literally feeling each and every
word, each and every emotion that is being expressed and he projects
that feeling of longing towards us, the listener, with his voice
inflection and the growing sound in both his voice and the instrumentals
accompanying him.
The contemplation of what is going to happen..."guess I'll go out to
Alberta, weather's good there in the fall.."
The longing of wanting a person to come with you..."still I wish you'd
change your mind, if I ask you one more time."
And the wishing...."you could meet me if I sent you down the fare."
The knowledge of the fact that it won't happen... "all these things that
won't change, come what may."
An empty promise which, longs for but knows that which will never
happen..."I'll look for you if I'm ever back this way....."
John had a way of being able to literally see the passion of the words
he was singing in any song. To be able to _feel_ the passion of the
emotion of the moment the words were written on that scrap of paper,
whether he was the writer or if it was someone else. And with his
singing of the song, he could evoke that emotion towards the listener,
drawing them inside of the song with him and letting them see and feel
the moment with him. He got inside the song and took your hand so you
could follow him......
As I was listening to both versions and writing this two things
happened. While JD's version was playing, a grain train made its way
through town. Through the open window, I could hear the plaintive
whistle of the train as it made its way towards town from the south, and
it drew me even further into the music and gave me an even larger
"visual" of the song itself.
And the other thing was that I noticed as I was looking at the jacket
covers to both the LP and John's CD was that this song is track Number 5
on both!
Peace,
Theresa
"It's the fire and the wings that fly us home"
Joe Henry
http://www.netins.net/showcase/odomsmodem
Hiway
Ian & Sylvia are both alive and well. They have always kept folk
'pure,' and in its most simple, and original form.
Best,
Hiway
Ontario, Canada
Christine Moon
(July 1983 model) - here's what I found there:
T'was a dangerous cliff as they freely confessed
though to walk near its edge was quite pleasant.
'til over the side slipped a Duke and a Prince,
and it had fooled many a peasant.
The people all said something had to be done
but their projects did not at all tally.
Some said, "put a fence round the edge of the cliff,"
others, "an ambulance down in the valley."
The lament of the crowd was profound and so loud
as their hearts overflowed with great pity.
But the ambulance carried the cry of the day
as it spread to the neighboring cities.
A collection was made to accumulate aid
and dwellers in highway and alley,
gave dollars and cents not to furnish a fence,
but an ambulance down in the valley.
For the cliff is alright if you're careful they said,
and if folks ever trip and are falling;
it's not the slipping and sliding that hurts
so much as the shock, when they're stopping.
And so on for years as these mishaps occurred
quick forth would the rescuers sally,
to pick up the victims who fell from the cliff
with the ambulance down in the valley.
Said one in his plea, it's a marvel to me
that you'd give so much greater attention
to repairing results than to curing the cause,
why you'd much better aim at prevention.
The mischief of course should be stopped at its source;
come friends and good neighbors let's rally.
It makes far better sense to rely on a fence
than an ambulance down in the valley.
He's wrong in his head the majority said.
He would end all our earnest endeavors.
He's the kind of a jerk that would halt our good work,
but we will support it forever.
Don't we pick up them all just as quick as they fall,
and treat them with care quite liberally?
A superfluous fence is of no consequence,
if the ambulance works in the valley.
Well this story is queer as I've given it here,
though things oft occur which are stranger.
More humane we assert to repair all the hurt,
than the plan of removing the danger.
Before it all ends it's time to begin
to attend to these things rationally
Yes, build up the fence and let us dispense
with the ambulance down in the valley.
--
Peace, in John's memory,
Christine
*********************************
moon...@netcomuk.co.uk
"Friends of John Denver"
http://www.fojd.org.uk
*********************************
CASHMEING <cash...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:20000506160317...@ng-cc1.aol.com...
Itamazesme
Thanks Hollie Darlin
Theresa
Theresa
"Itamazesme" <itama...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:20000507152633...@ng-fn1.aol.com...
Hiway
would read it at his concerts - but the author always appears as
"unknown."
Rats.
Hiway (;
Christine Moon
--
Peace, in John's memory,
Christine
*********************************
moon...@netcomuk.co.uk
"Friends of John Denver"
http://www.fojd.org.uk
*********************************
Hiway <hiway333_1...@yahoo.com.invalid> wrote in message
news:30303966...@usw-ex0106-046.remarq.com...
LiteofVega
This part of your post, Theresa, gave me major goosebumps. Gave me a whole new
perspective on that song that I too love very much. Thanks!
Peace,
Mary in Oklahoma
Joe Keenan
JD and Lightfoot is AOK!
>http://www.netins.net/showcase/odomsmodem
Theresa
"Joe Keenan" <jkeen...@aol.comnospam> wrote in message
news:20000509234447...@ng-bd1.aol.com...
<blush> well thank you neighbor :) I've been working on some updates here at
home when I get the time, but this being the last week of school at the college
where I work I haven't had much time. Hopefully in about a week or so I'll be
able to finish them and upload them and when that happens I'll let you all know.
Theresa