Blue Jazz
(used with kind permission by Carl
Ristaino)
The following are original pieces written by Glenn C. Bouchard
- (c) 2003
Home Again
Ten years
passed...spent them all in paradise
Never
planned to be gone for such a time
Don't
know how the years melted away, like the youthfulness from my face
So many
majestic sunsets left behind
Was
I was chasin’ a dream or chasin’ a girl?
Whatever
the reason I don’t have many regrets
Sometimes
you gotta follow your heart, against all good reason,
even
though you suspect it’ll get the best of you in the end
Traveled
the left coast time and time again
Deep
blue seas, towering palm trees
Felt
the coastal fog envelope me…listened to the seagull’s song
as
it gently rocked me to sleep
Spent
time in the mountains…swam in Tahoe so blue
Truckee
like the wild wild west…
Made
many a dollar at the Biltmore Hotel,
only
to give it right back in the end
Rolled
south to Ensenada, drove right past Tijuana
Baja
sun burning strong and bright
Got
loose on tequila and buckets of cerveza,
as
the mariachi played into the night
Headed
north to Eugene oh man what a scene
reminded
me of downtown Santa Cruz
Due
south to the valleys where time often stood still,
enjoyed
the fruits of the earth for a time
But
perspectives change, as the years slip away
sometimes
we long for a slower pace
Family,
friends, familiar sights and sounds,
to
live simply…more meaningful days
And now I'm home
again, so happy to be here
as the road approaches yet another bend,
Returning to memories, dreams, and reflections from another life
a chance to get to know you again
Fire red leaves spiral down from aging trees
reflected in the water for a time,
A slightly cool breeze triggers ripples across the image
briefly erasing the memory from my mind
The sun still burns bright but not like it once had
Revolution propelling earth further out each passing day,
Towards the deepest realms of space, of history, and of time
as snowflakes grow ever more brave
Untitled
Fog from the sea baptize me
Darkness of night unfold true light
Storm not unfurl me from my throne atop the sand
But instead embrace me in sanctuary…
Like the gentle grasping of a newborn’s hand
Somewhere has not been found yet
Is it here or on the other side?
Between the light and the darkness,
where only seagull’s glide
Should we search by candlelight?
Or illumination of the moon?
I’ll bet that most don’t know this but the less you look…
Realistic expectations…reality shatters the light
Through the edge of the prism glass, the rainbow is taking flight
Is somewhere fading fast?
Well here’s a little secret…
Somewhere is just a state of mind
Not many things are more refreshing
than a cool crisp morning…
Sweaters are removed from hibernation,
sunlight is seen…and felt
Steam dances over my coffee,
and as I breather in ever deeper
I’m dreaming of a rooftop in Venice
hidden from the canals and artisans below,
The warm glow of the Mediterranean sun illuminates my soul
as the wine and beauty flow through me
As the candle slowly dissipates into nothingness
Do we realize the history being created around us?
Music, marches, and madness…or are we so preoccupied with simply being?
…and existing in a day to day fashion?
Not quite as simple as the sentence would suggest,
yet by the same token not quite as difficult…
As the moth as it changes to a butterfly,
or the salmon as it swims upstream…
A leaf shedding its skin and changing colors,
the coming and going of a season
And these things most never notice…
As I smoke the last of this cigarette
I’m thinking of an old friend,
Not many things in life are more valuable
than this linkage to the past and connection to the future
Distance evaporates many ties
but there are those that separation cannot sever,
Lives that have been lived quite differently
can at times be remarkably the same
Know that I am thinking of you now,
and that I wish you every happiness
Today there are gray skies...and for many years a clouded mind
A need to somehow escape to nowhere…
Maybe some things simply must be
As the chills run up and down my spine
I try to capture the moment and make it last…
Yet it simply slips away…again
Tomorrow the clouds may drift away,
from the sky and maybe from my mind
Alas, today I will accept them
and patiently wait for the winds to come
Once you were and so was I
nothing but a tabula rasa,
An empty canvas amidst life’s colors
were we painted on or painted over?
when compared to the effect
Some decide what happens to the rest of us
Some worry about going to hell,
while others although still living
Yes I’ve got plenty of time…
and it’s all right here on my wrist
Our attempt at harnessing the minutes, hours, and days
is simply an exercise in futility
For no matter how desperately we strive to
capture each second it matters not…
For the sun will continue its rise and fall
and the dirt road will still reach for the horizon
At times almost an unbearable cacophony
while at others only molasses could be sweeter,
Many have been drawn to the power
although few have really understood
Phantoms, spirits, rainbows, and lightning
spiraling, whirling, and exploding…
Dynamics, drama, and physics
slicing wistfully through air
Have you ever heard the thunder boom
across the dry desert sky?
Have you ever taken the time to ponder
Have you ever felt the rain
wash away the tears you cried in vain?
Or are all of life’s coincidences
Have you ever, have you ever,
have you ever felt the pain?
watchin’ clouds as they roll on by,
Rainbow droplets reflect the moonbeams
Oh a dream that was dreamt so long ago
but the image never fades,
A little bit rougher around the edges, a little older…
maybe even a little bit afraid
Have you ever, have you ever, have you ever felt the same?
After all the harsh words have been spoken
and the final door slammed,
After all the lies and lack of communication…
After all of the stomach knots, heartache, fear
and jealously have long since passed…
…My only regret is that I lost the best friend I ever had