The Daily Boost #491
What's your theme song?
This Pete Seeger is my theme song as a creative. Among other covers of the song, I especially love this gentle one by Peter, Paul, & Mary.
What song might you consider your theme song?
OH, HAD I A GOLDEN THREAD
Oh, had I a golden thread
And needle so fine
I'd weave a tapestry
Of rainbow design
Of rainbow design
Far over the water
I'd weave my magic strand
To every city
Through every single land
Through every land
And in it I would weave the bravery
Of women giving birth
In it I would weave the innocence
Of children over all the earth
Children of all earth
Show my brothers and my sisters
My rainbow design
And bind up this sorry world
With hand and heart and mind
Hand and heart and mind
(My thanks to Pete Seeger and to Peter, Paul & Mary.)
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The Gentle Nudge
Join other Rafters this week for . . .
Poetry Pick-Me-Up (Zoom, Thursday, 12:00-1:00PM Central, at this link)
Other opportunities:
(Paid) Register by June 26 for “The Rapture of Being Alive,” a poetry workshop with Donna Hilbert on July 10 (Zoom).
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Simple man. Lynyard Skynyard
One of my absolutely favorite songs--one that I often find myself singing to myself. A story:
As a kid, I adored Pete Seeger and listened over and over to Strangers & Cousins, his album on which "Oh, Had I A Golden Thread" appeared. I was such a groupie that, at about the age of 10, I even wrote him a fan letter. :) He was off on tour at the time, but his wife, Toshi, was kind enough to write me a lovely note back, and included an autographed photo of him, which I cherished for years. Fast forward several years: While in college in California in the late '70's, I jumped at the opportunity to attend a concert of Pete's at the Monterey Civic Center--the first time I saw him in person. Right before he broke for intermission, he mentioned that he wasn't sure what he'd play when he returned. Someone took that as an invitation and, scribbling a request on a piece of paper, went up on the stage and left it sitting on his empty chair. Others quickly followed suit and the paper pile grew and grew. Right before he reappeared, I thought to myself, "Oh, why not?" I found a slip of paper and wrote, "Oh, Had I a Golden Thread" on it, ran up to the chair and barely got back to my seat before he came back on stage. When he saw the pile, he smiled, went over and picked up and scanned some of the notes from near the top, sat down, and started to play. . . . Yes, he chose "my" song! It was such an amazing moment. . . . The concert was, of course, beyond excellent and the energy in the place absolutely sky-high. Pete said that he had to stop, because he had to be out of the facility by a certain time, but invited anyone who wanted to to join him outside on the patio to continue things with a group sing. There was no way I was going to miss that opportunity! I rushed out and made my way to the front of the semi-circle that formed around him (not all that many people, actually, to my surprise) and we had a glorious, intimate sing-along with him. Singing harmonies with Pete Singer--what a precious memory that is to me, all these years later. Thanks so much for the opportunity to take this trip down memory lane, Phyllis!