Western Stars

That feeling when you reach the time for your last music prompt--big sigh.

I am certain no one here needs an introduction to Bruce Springsteen. 

I am pleased, however, to refer all of you to Western Stars, 

his newest album and amazing concert film, a gorgeous and lush 

piece of music from start to finish.

I woke up this morning

Just glad my boots are on

 It’s all fantastic, but this song completely knocks my socks off (audio only): STONES

This is the movie version, Bruce singing in duet with his wife Patti Scialfa.

I wish I had written it. Amazing, beautiful, poetic, inspiring.

I woke up this morning with stones in my mouth

You said those are only the lies that you’ve told me

Only the lies you've told me

During this busy time of year, I really encourage you all to take a break 

and listen to this whole record. Trust me. 

And

I couldn’t post my last music prompt without honoring the late Ric Ocasek, 

who passed away in September. Anyone who knows me in real life 

knows that my favorite band is and always has been The Cars, 

and Ric Ocasek my favorite poet. 

This is a very happy me in 2012 with his book, Lyrics and Prose.

I adore Ric Ocasek’s songwriting and poetry style which has definitely inspired my own.

Here is one of my poems directly inspired by Ocasek, probably my favorite:

“I read a lot of poetry, and that gives me a wide range of permission 

to say anything in a song — they’re more twisted than I’ll ever be.” 

-- Ric Ocasek

Okay, friends, thanks for indulging me. The point of all of this is to inspire poetry! 

So please go forth and write poems inspired by Bruce Springsteen, string sections, 

being glad your boots are on, aging cowboys, stones and lies, New Jersey, 

The Cars, 80s new-wave, lyrics and poetry, trying to hide your disgrace, Boston 

or anything else that comes up as the result of this lengthy and love-filled prompt.

It’s been real.

ENJOY--BE INSPIRED--WRITE--SHARE

Prairie in the Sky

Prairie in the Sky by Mary McCaslin

I ride a big blue roan, I carry all I own

In the pouches of my saddlebag with my bedroll tied behind

There's a prairie in the sky, I'll find it by and by

Hues of brown and yellow to make a soul unwind

Let the music take me home where a heart may roam

I'll fly across the meadows, touch the tall grass as I g

Let the gentle western wind stay with me till the end

Beside me till the day is done and the sun is settled low

Leave the ponies to run free, far as the eye can see

I'd ride the range forever to see them once again

Let the wild flying things soar above me on their wings

And the stars fill up the night sky and the moon light up the plains

I ride a big blue roan, I carry all I own

In the pouches of my saddlebag with my bedroll tied behind

 ENJOY--BE INSPIRED--WRITE--SHARE

Juice!

if I’m shining

everybody gonna shine

For more sheer incredibleness from Queen Lizzo,

watch her Tiny (Ass) Desk Concert

She will blow your hair back for sure!

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Summer's End

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Avant Gardener

Hello, Garden Dwellers!

Let’s take inspiration today from COURTNEY BARNETT.

I adore this woman’s music for so many reasons, chief among them that her lyrics are amazing and to me, often register as narrative poems.

This song in particular tells an epic story that’s a window into a tiny moment but with big observations such as “I’m not that good at breathing in” and “Life’s getting hard in here so I do some gardening/Anything to take my mind away from where it’s sposed to be.” I just adore it.

I chose this live version because of its garden quality but she has an official video for this song and there are other high-quality live versions to be found on YouTube, like this one for example. And many, many other great songs.

If you choose to spend some time with this prompt, I encourage you to listen a couple times and really hear what she is saying. I think it would be inappropriate to copy the entire lyrics on our site, but she has them on her website here, just scroll down a bit and you’ll find them.

I think this is the first song I heard from Courtney Barnett, and now I’m a total convert. Recently she made a record with Kurt Vile that is also completely awesome. Their song Over Everything kinda slays me.

Here is my challenge: Let’s use this song as inspiration to write our own narrative poems about small moments. Or as usual, this prompt is wide open so you can write us a poem inspired by Courtney Barnett, breathing problems, ambulances, being a clever songwriter from Australia, or anything else that comes to mind!



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Revelation

I was introduced to Troye Sivan from the movie Boy Erased. He plays a minor but important character in the film, and this song--his song--soars during a beautiful scene. Just watching this video makes me weepy.

“Revelation” has been nominated for a Golden Globe award, and Lucas Hedges for best actor Golden Globe for his role in Boy Erased. (I predict Oscars as well, and rightly so.)

Troye Sivan is a major singer, songwriter, performer, and YouTube star from Australia. He is so wonderful, I’m looking forward to hearing from him and watching his career over time.

Please feel free to write on the specific topic addressed in this video, but it is certainly not required. As you like, write more generally about revelation, liberation, coming out, freedom, love, youth, whatever--the prompt is wide-open as always. This is a song to sit back and breathe in--and see what comes up for you.

WATCH * LISTEN * BE INSPIRED * WRITE

Made For Now

So inspiring! Ladies and gentlemen, Janet Jackson!

WATCH * LISTEN * BE INSPIRED * WRITE

* ROCK ON! *

Unhappy Refrain

Tell me how you feel like these days

Tell me why you don't wanna say it

Tell me now what is on your mind

I'm still gonna listen to you

....

Sharing your sound

Connecting our feelings

Everyone has found that we've owned this hymn

Now we have found that's all

So we join in

(This prompt brought to you by me and my daughter Anne.)

Introducing Hatsune Miku! She is a hologram performing with a real-life band in front of huge live audiences. Miku and her friends perform music that is written by their fans. I find vocaloid music to be really inspiring and hope you do, too.

WATCH * LISTEN * BE INSPIRED * WRITE

Eres Tú

Carla Morrison needs no introduction and provides plenty of inspiration!

WATCH * LISTEN * BE INSPIRED * WRITE

You and Me

Hello, Toads! Marian here with your occasional music prompt. Get ready! 

Last week, I was truly lucky to be able to take my family to see Alice Cooper. I have to say, of course I’ve known Alice Cooper songs for my entire life but it never occurred to me that I would see him live. It just wasn’t on my radar screen at all until the past year or so, when my son Jack started to really get into him. When we learned he was coming to Boston, we scored tickets for the family that Jack received in his Christmas stocking. And I am so grateful!

This show was truly, absolutely amazing and completely inspiring. Alice Cooper is now 70 years old and I hope he keeps playing and performing until he’s 80. Or longer! He puts on such an incredible show, I mean wow, so much energy! And I am so happy to be a new fan of the younger woman guitarist who plays with him, Nita Strauss. I am overwhelmed by how awesome she is!

Here is a link to a video of the encore from the show we attended in case you are interested. I did not take this video, we were in the balcony, but it's great:

SCHOOL’S OUT at the Wang Theatre in Boston 3-6-18

Okay, enough already. Obviously I'm a fangirl and am incapable of focusing on any other artist right now, so let’s all listen to this great, beautiful, classic ballad and write poems about 

sharing a bed, some lovin’ and TV 

Aspire

Good day, Toads!

To close out 2017 on a high note, I'm happy to introduce one of my favourite new artists:

DeQn Sue 

Who could not love this wonderful, quirky, inspiring woman and her message? Enjoy!

Links for your further reading and listening pleasure!

• DeQn Sue's website
• Interview with Time Magazine
• DeQn Sue on NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert

WATCH * LISTEN * BE INSPIRED * WRITE

Cruel

Toads! Presented for your inspiration is guitar hero Annie Clark, aka

St. VINCENT

“Bodies, can’t you see what everybody wants from you?”

WATCH * LISTEN * BE INSPIRED * WRITE

Watch the Corners

Ahhhhh, the dulcet tones of guitar hero J. Mascis and his band Dinosaur Jr.! I figure any Toads who might be parents, and/or who know and love teenagers, and/or who were ever teenagers ourselves, can appreciate and find some fodder for writing in here. See if you can get to the end without feeling a little something in your eye. Love, love, enjoy!

WATCH * LISTEN * BE INSPIRED * WRITE

Writing Shoes

Friends! It is day 27! We are almost there! Let’s race to the finish!

Photo by Marian Kent

When thinking about music to accompany this fun photo, I ended up not being able to choose between three quintessential songs by iconic artists. So I’m sharing all three: Paul Simon with Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Elvis Costello, and too-soon-gone Townes Van Zandt. Enjoy!

Your assignment is to write about shoes. Pick a song (or two or three) if you like, use the photo if you like, or whatever works for you. And then let your words race, dance, fly!

Invisible

Friends! Am sharing this newly-released video for Christina Grimmie, a young and vibrant singer-songwriter, gamer, and YouTuber who unfortunately was murdered last year after one of her concerts. I was thinking about the idea of invisibility and came across this lovely tribute to a talented woman who had a fondness for gaming and anime.

For Day 14, let’s muse on invisibility. What does it feel like to be invisible? Who or what is invisible? Would invisibility be a cool superpower or what? Or, feel free to explore the links I’m providing for Christina Grimmie and be inspired by her work or life.

WATCH * LISTEN * BE INSPIRED * WRITE

Walls

Toads! Today in the Garden we are taking back WALLS.

Some days are diamonds

Some days are rocks

Some doors are open

Some roads are blocked

Sundowns are golden

Then fade away

But if I never do nothing

I'm coming back some day

'Cause you got a heart so big

It could crush this town

And I can't hold out forever

Even walls fall down

All around your island

There's a barricade

It keeps out the danger

Holds in the pain

Sometimes you're happy

And sometimes you cry

Half of me is ocean

Half of me is sky

But you got a heart so big

It could crush this town

And I can't hold out forever

Even walls fall down

Thank you, Mister Tom Petty. Toads, please watch, listen, write, and share a poem on the subject of WALLS. And enjoy!

Music With Meow

RUN THE JEWELS is New York City-based rapper/producer El-P and Atlanta-based rapper Killer Mike. I know some friends will be inspired by this extreme meowyness. Lyrics NSFW.

For those who are interested in less cat-centric, strong and timely social commentary, try these:

2100
(Released November 9, 2016 with this note "for our friends. for our family. for everyone who is hurting or scared right now. here is a song we wrote months ago. we werent planning on releasing it yet but… well it feels right, now. it's about fear and it's about love and it's about wanting more for all of us. it's called 2100. we hope it finds you well. love, jaime and mike")

Close Your Eyes (And Count To F**k) 
Featuring Zack de la Rocha (of Rage Against the Machine)

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Little Tiny

I’m thrilled today to introduce my Garden friends to my in-real-life friend and truly lovely songwriter and person BRANDI EDISS. Yay! Brandi moved here just over a year ago and my life--really the whole valley in which we reside--is dramatically improved by Brandi’s presence. She writes and performs super-purty songs and has a tremendous skill for portrait photography, among other talents.

Been thinking about sharing this song "Little Tiny" in the Garden for quite a while and I feel certain that it will receive a warm reception from you all. I can relate to the vulnerability and feelings Brandi bravely sings about here, and I think many of you might as well.

Click around Brandi’s YouTube page for more great and often festive offerings (for example, my favorite of her originals is "This Is My Stupid Boyfriend"). Brandi is working on recording her first CD Bees and Bees and Bees, to be released later this year. Enjoy!

And oh yeah, this is a poetry prompt! Your task today is to be inspired by Brandi’s song to write your own verse on the subject(s) of being and/or feeling alone, building walls, glockenspiels and jingle bells, cliches and replays, or anything else "Little Tiny" brings up for you.

Listen * Be Inspired * Write * Share

The Community of Hope

PJ Harvey has a new album called The Hope Six Demolition Project.

Here’s the Hope Six Demolition Project

stretching down to Benning Road

a well-known pathway of death,

(at least, that’s what I’m told).

Here’s the one sit-down restaurant

in Ward Seven. Nice.

Okay, now this is just drug town,

just zombies, but that’s just life.

The Community of Hope.

Here’s the highway to death and destruction,

South Capitol is its name.

The school looks like a shit hole –

does that look like a nice place?

Here’s the old mental institution

now the Homeland Security base.

Here’s God’s Deliverance Centre,

a deli called M.L.K.

The Community of Hope.

They’re gonna’ put a Walmart here.

Click here for a brief interview with PJ Harvey on the inspiration for the song and album.

Toads! Your challenge today is to be inspired by PJ Harvey and write a new poem about community, hope, housing demolition, Washington DC, poverty, drugtown, homeland security, Walmart, protest music, photojournalism, or whatever-else-have-you.

LISTEN * WATCH * BE INSPIRED * WRITE

Bittersweet Melodies

I remember us

before we turned to dusk

just when these feelings were all about

when we could still trust

in our hearts

I just can’t help it. This video makes me weep with happiness. Maybe that’s the very definition of bittersweet, the unbridled heart-soaring to the point of tears?

Love me some Feist. This song is from her fourth album, Metals.

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