Driving Across America (for Tom Yossarian Joad)

[TomInTib]

The gentle winds of change, I hear the sound
It stirs the quiet desert sand
I ride the rails of joy and sorrow down
Into the canyons of this Land

Thru my windshield I see Fear and Faith
Rich and Poor from town to town
One owns a Bible and one owns a safe
But neither walk on common ground

Tonight I'm driving across America
Mister, can I talk to you?
Tonight I'm driving across America
Oh, say, can't you see what I've been through?

I see a Black Man with his hands held high
I see a fatherless son
I see a policeman who wonders why
He keeps his tears locked in his gun

And I see a White Man with his eyes blood red
'cause he's been told what he should feel
And I see too many women cut to shreds
And taking half their lives to heal

Tonight I'm driving across America
Mister, can I talk to you?
Tonight I'm driving across America
Oh, say, can you see what I see, too?

We rise and fall from Sea to Shining Sea
Balancing Freedom and Change
Waiting for a Purple Mountain Majesty
To be our Saviour when it rains

Tonight I'm driving across America
Mister, can I talk to you?
Tonight I'm driving across America
Oh, say, can you see what I see through?

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

1. Wow! I'm honored....

Is this yours? it reads like Guthrie or Dylan.

Thanks.

On edit, that's a fantastic piece.

[TomInTib]

2. Yeah, buddy

I have all kinds of 'em.

They come to me all the time.

But I am so glacially slow on the keyboard that I just do not bother.

There was an earlier post of yours

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x2122641

That pulled this one up.

And it looks like you are the only one who will see it.

That is why I don't take the time...

on edit:
I could've PM'd you on this and taken all the time in the world.

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

3. Actually, your piece is much better than the post you reference...

And I ought to know... I wuz eddycated in that shit.

Kidding aside, this is good stuff you wrote.

However, if you could have put the word "fuck" in the title, it would have had a gazillion recs. :sarcasm:

[TomInTib]

12. Hah! (as OLL used to say)

FUCK wil do it every time.

And no, it isn't any better...

They are all what they are - just as are we all.

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

14. Sadly, it's true...

I've thrown some stuff up here that I could not believe got the recs it did that weren't worth squat while some of the stuff that I thought to be technically sharp would sink into oblivion in a heartbeat.

This is a new artform we're playing with here and the old rules are getting tossed.

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

17. Putting it all together...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x2123443

[yodermon]

4. k&r for both o' youse

[TomInTib]

13. And thank'ya too, 'mon

[KAZ]

5. I saw it, and loved it.

And I always backbutton this type of post. Didn't this time. Most excellent Tom.

Edit: "tears locked in his gun". Wow.

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

7. that line caught me as well!

Good writing.

[TomInTib]

18. You know, my uncle is a cop...

and I often thought that he was hanging his experiences/memories on the same hook that he hung his Sam Browne (belt and holster).

Thank you for your kind words.

Tom

[mdmc]

8. Whats with the Joad? I'm reading Catch-22 right now

Why is your DU handle Tom Yossarian Joad instead of just Tom Yossarian?

Good poetry Tomintib - thanks for sharing. :kick: for the Texas words

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

10. Tom Joad... Grapes of Wrath... With Yossarian's cynicism.

[mdmc]

11. thank you

:kick:

[SammyWinstonJack]

6. K & R

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

9. I loved the "Oh say can you see" and the way you worked it in

at the end... Sweet.

[KAZ]

16. He lined that up earlier!

Maybe I'm tired, since I don't usually "do" poetry. Time to rethink that.

BTW, might be a record for "quickest to the greatest page".

[Change has come]

15. I'm glad I took the time.

K&R

[NanceGreggs]

19. Tonight I'm driving across America ...

... with Tom and TYJ. Sitting in the back seat, seeing the world through the eyes of poets. Listening to songs I never knew, that sound familiar just the same. Humming the harmony parts, a bit off-key - enthusiasm overiding my obvious lack of talent.

Tonight I'm ridin' high on the closeness of friends, who have something to teach, 'cause I have so much to learn.

Tonight I'm feeling free to ride forever, and I don't care where we're bound - and given the company, I don't care how long I'll be gone.

What an absolute treasure of a post - like a beautiful duet, that I was lucky enough to hear.

[TomInTib]

20. Damn, NG

I will tattoo this one on my ever lovin' soul

Thank you so much, as you are becoming my favorite non-syndicated writer.

Maybe more than that.

You are more than welcome to drive across America with us... well, I will have to check with TYJ..

And that thing is better in a song. Needs a little metre and rhythm.

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

21. Wow... What the other Tom said!

You have it in your soul!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x2123739

[TomInTib]

22. If you are unsure about your harmony, go flat.

Shape-Note, Nance...

You can do it.

And when you are singing into the Wind..

You can sing anything you choose and sound just as good as you want...

It is all relative..

Tom

[NanceGreggs]

23. Okay, you talked me into it ...

What time are you guys picking me up?