Rest a life-span’s choices
Some for good
Some for naught
Most with barely
Any thought
A good many
I regret
But the life
Which made them
I do not
I learned
I grew
I fell down
I got back up
Some for good
Some for naught
Most with barely
Any thought
A good many
I regret
But the life
Which made them
I do not
I learned
I grew
I fell down
I got back up
No matter
All the miles
I’ll go
The turn for home
Eventually comes
Curves twist back upon themselves
Upon the wall
Of ancient cave
A blogger posts
An early selfie
how a brush stroke
or a phrase
can create
an icon
how few lines
or words
are required
to tell a story
and how every story
and every icon
means something different
to everyone
His awakening would be
Celebrated around the world
Though his eyes never opened again
I find the steel
Within
To go on
May these fill
Your holiday
Your every day
Your life
And the lives of those
Who share your days
We lost a good one this week in Canada, Gordon Downie, frontman, lyricist, songwriter for The Tragically Hip, a Canadian rock powerhouse. In the 80s and 90s, they were probably my favourite band.
This song, Courage (for Hugh MacLennan), has always resonated deeply with me. In 1998, while spending six months bicycling across China, it inspired this blog post from the road. As it turns out, with all that’s going on in the world right now, it proves a timely reminder to get back on the path of love and light and insight. It was a path Gordon Downie forged and followed vigorously, right up to the very end.
Here’s to you, Gordon. And thanks, again, for all the insight.