Rod Mckuen Quotes Part 1
Ok, I admit it. I have a really strange love of Rod McKuen.
He's a poet who was best known in the 60's and early 70's. The weird thing is, my parents and all the other older adults I know don't really know any of his work. They have all heard of him, but thats about it. What gives? Not only is he one of the most brilliant (still living) poets, but he also apparently was well known singer/songwriter who had songs he wrote sung by artists like Frank Sinatra and even Madonna (thats right, he co-wrote a song on the Ray of Light album). And he is credited with "Seasons In The Sun" (which so many artists have covered over the years). So why don't "real" adults know much about him? Well.. No matter. I think he's brilliant. I own like 20 of his books. I read them ALL the time! And I actually like some of his music.
I LOVE a song of his called "Soldiers who want to be heroes". The chorus goes like this..
"Soldiers who want to be heroes, number practically zero
but there are millions who want to be civilians."
Hello! And he was in the army when he was younger I believe (based on some things he has said in poetry). You can read one of the other poems about war he wrote at his official site, as well as download the song mentioned above (both on this page) http://www.mckuen.com/flights/201001.htm
Anyways... enough rambling about him. Here are some of my favorite quotes from just ONE of his many many poetry books. This one is called "Come Close To The Earth".
Oh, and 2 of his album covers in case anyone wondered what he looked like (he apparently had alot of luck with women, me I don't get it. But it was the 60's)
Samples of his works. I used / to represent where it went onto the next line, since it is poetry and doesn't always make complete sentences (more below cut)
There are no dragons anymore only windmills/ Nothing left to slay except the clock that goes on stealing time from us.
You fill me with anxiety and that is better than not being filled at all.
I love you enough to let you run/ but far too much to let you fly.
Sorry/ because my mistakes are many and uneven. Even so, Hello out there. I wish you knew me better/ I wish I knew me better.
While I was waiting, I was hoping you might pass by and in your quiet voice again say, stay.
Alike we are/in many things. Too proud to beg forgiveness/close at hand-yet dying/when the door is closed.
Go. The one who looks back first is not the weaker one/ the fool only.
I only hope while you were adding to my life, I haven't interrupted anything within yours.
Somethings surly missing in the life that I attempted to live/ until I find it/it can have no name.
I pray to god/ I'll go on looking/ always with a sense of hope and wonder
As painful as retelling is, I have to do it for myself. As so I start to reconstruct, rebuild, the life pulled down around me, hoping I can make the replaced structures stand just long enough to find a single answer: why?
Will the dangers this time out number the rewards?
Perhaps I now enjoy the solitude I always fought so hard against.
Away from you I don't exist, nothings true or even false.
No matter what another book or bible says, you have mastered shadings. You know that greys exist.
No window opens on a better world than what we have within each other's arms.
Right or wrong only God dare make a judgment.
I ask that you stay long enough to help me prove that I have worth of the same kind.
I loam over you for one long moment, before I fall to play and plunge and pillage/ I must have been a pirate in some other life.
I'm not afraid of what's upcoming or what has gone before and if there's nothing left to know about or learn/ I'll review the early lessons yet again.
Still in this year together I have never once considered life or lifetime to be anything but synonymous with you.
He's a poet who was best known in the 60's and early 70's. The weird thing is, my parents and all the other older adults I know don't really know any of his work. They have all heard of him, but thats about it. What gives? Not only is he one of the most brilliant (still living) poets, but he also apparently was well known singer/songwriter who had songs he wrote sung by artists like Frank Sinatra and even Madonna (thats right, he co-wrote a song on the Ray of Light album). And he is credited with "Seasons In The Sun" (which so many artists have covered over the years). So why don't "real" adults know much about him? Well.. No matter. I think he's brilliant. I own like 20 of his books. I read them ALL the time! And I actually like some of his music.
I LOVE a song of his called "Soldiers who want to be heroes". The chorus goes like this..
"Soldiers who want to be heroes, number practically zero
but there are millions who want to be civilians."
Hello! And he was in the army when he was younger I believe (based on some things he has said in poetry). You can read one of the other poems about war he wrote at his official site, as well as download the song mentioned above (both on this page) http://www.mckuen.com/flights/201001.htm
Anyways... enough rambling about him. Here are some of my favorite quotes from just ONE of his many many poetry books. This one is called "Come Close To The Earth".
Oh, and 2 of his album covers in case anyone wondered what he looked like (he apparently had alot of luck with women, me I don't get it. But it was the 60's)
Samples of his works. I used / to represent where it went onto the next line, since it is poetry and doesn't always make complete sentences (more below cut)
There are no dragons anymore only windmills/ Nothing left to slay except the clock that goes on stealing time from us.
You fill me with anxiety and that is better than not being filled at all.
I love you enough to let you run/ but far too much to let you fly.
Sorry/ because my mistakes are many and uneven. Even so, Hello out there. I wish you knew me better/ I wish I knew me better.
While I was waiting, I was hoping you might pass by and in your quiet voice again say, stay.
Alike we are/in many things. Too proud to beg forgiveness/close at hand-yet dying/when the door is closed.
Go. The one who looks back first is not the weaker one/ the fool only.
I only hope while you were adding to my life, I haven't interrupted anything within yours.
Somethings surly missing in the life that I attempted to live/ until I find it/it can have no name.
I pray to god/ I'll go on looking/ always with a sense of hope and wonder
As painful as retelling is, I have to do it for myself. As so I start to reconstruct, rebuild, the life pulled down around me, hoping I can make the replaced structures stand just long enough to find a single answer: why?
Will the dangers this time out number the rewards?
Perhaps I now enjoy the solitude I always fought so hard against.
Away from you I don't exist, nothings true or even false.
No matter what another book or bible says, you have mastered shadings. You know that greys exist.
No window opens on a better world than what we have within each other's arms.
Right or wrong only God dare make a judgment.
I ask that you stay long enough to help me prove that I have worth of the same kind.
I loam over you for one long moment, before I fall to play and plunge and pillage/ I must have been a pirate in some other life.
I'm not afraid of what's upcoming or what has gone before and if there's nothing left to know about or learn/ I'll review the early lessons yet again.
Still in this year together I have never once considered life or lifetime to be anything but synonymous with you.