things

things

so many many many
t
h
i
n
g
s
so little little
t
i
m
e

go back

go back

if we could just
go
back
for a moment
and relive those
decadent days
where nothing felt so full
and happiness didn't hinge
on anything other than being
there
there
undeniably
there.

fear

fear

to act out of fear
is to live in the dark
scurrying around without
knowing the sun.

speak

speak

speak hush hum
sing.

Opposites

Opposites

If beauty is enhanced in
reaction to its opposite
then is happiness truly enhanced
in reaction to negativity too?

Inspired by the Leonardo exhibit at the MFA.

To be

To be

To be not to seem to
be not to seem to be
not to seem to be not
to seem to be not to
seem to be not to seem
to be not to seem.

fear

fear

sometimes what we fear most
is what we want most
and what we want most
scares us into being the opposite.

Yeah

Yeah

I've learned in this life
you've got to be with and be
someone you like.

Inspired by Robert Glasper playing, "Ah Yeah".

foolish

foolish

every footstep that resembles
a sort of dancing prancing
tap tap tapping
every whisper that echoes
across the air
cooing coyly
every painting
every summer's day
every flower that blooms in May
haunts me foolishly

Inspired by Billie Holiday singing, "These Foolish Things (Remind Me Of You)".

anymore

when the tune goes to stop
you kind of hear it going on forever
the song doesn't stop
you just can't hear it anymore.

Changes

Changes

I met you not too long ago
or was it years ago?
for changes come about
and meeting again seems to be
meeting for the first time.

I wanted to change the world

I wanted to change the world

I wanted to change the world
that's all I ever wanted to do
I thought about it night and day
it haunted my dreams
I always felt
restless
anxious
nervous
to be doing something of
importance
I would go so far as to
make posters and hang them
up all over my room
inspirational quotes galore
I would write in journals
with bubbly star-eyed letters
and make lists upon lists upon lists
I would find people and tell them
my plans and how pertinent they were
and how I needed help
I had this seed of an idea
and always yearned for the water to
grow it into a tree
so something was missing
as something always is
from making the world change overnight
so I thought and I thought and I got so
caught up in the thought that nothing ever did change
until one day where I was planning away and I
remarked upon myself so lonely so sad so needy
oh how the posters meant nothing to the eye
if it wasn't I who could do something more
to change the world is to start by changing
yourself and to change yourself is to start by
changing the world
that's all I ever wanted to do.

My sketch of Herbie Hancock and Chick Corea

Inspired by Chick Corea and Herbie Hancock playing duo at Symphony Hall on April 12th.

Strength

Strength

As I sit and I stare
I look in the air
nothing can be so calm
so calm so calm
with nothing wrong
perfection, lucidity, strength.

ghost

ghost

a ghost seems to follow me around
for every footstep sounds of dancing
prancing tap tap tapping
for every raindrop sounds of symphonies
placidly playing pizzicato
for every sunbeam seems to make
a Monet painting swirling through
for every time I stop to breathe
i'm thinking of you.

Inspired by Billie Holiday singing, "These Foolish Things (Remind Me Of You)".

doubt

doubt

one
two
three
four
until the beat sunk in
and everything echoed in doubt.

Never

Never

It never entered
my mind: possibilities
are endless in life.

Inspired by Miles Davis playing, "It Never Entered My Mind".

Long ago

Long ago

If I think too long and hard
every little drip drop drip of
the rain against the window pane
echoes a heartbeat I felt not too
long ago.

reverse

reverse

if i had a choice
to reverse time or to stay here
i would be too scared to reverse time
because minds warp memories
and i want those to stay the same.

Energy

Energy

Energy flowing
up down around across all
angles of music.

My sketch of Vijay Iyer

Inspired by Vijay Iyer playing, "Break Stuff".

live

live

that brief moment between a song
ending and the audience clapping
that's where I want to live.

Calm

Calm

Calming eyes calming ties
calming washing over cries.

Inspired by Wayne Shorter playing, "Infant Eyes".

Those days

Those days

Those days where no plans existed
and the excitement of absolutely nothing
seemed to encapsulate everything
where loneliness felt free and wild
and the purity of it all was just there
just as everything was.

Inspired by Frank Sinatra singing, "The Days of Wine and Roses".

Behind

Behind

Your golden smile
and our secret jokes
how that glance told a story
how no words expressed so much
if only these days could come back
and leave our lonely nights behind.

Inspired by Frank Sinatra singing, "The Days of Wine and Roses".

Foolish

Foolish

foolish to be young
foolish to believe so much
oh my foolish heart.

Inspired by Bill Evans playing, "My Foolish Heart".

patience

patience

patience doesn't come
when everything is handed
patience waits for you.

Inspired by Bill Evans playing, "Peace Piece".

long ago

long ago

long ago and far away
everything seemed so lost
but in a flash life is found.

Inspired by Sonny Rollins playing, "Long Ago and Far Away".

Blue

Blue

When I look at blue
for too long...the world tends to
sulk, cry, coo: for you.

Inspired by Bill Evans playing on "Blue in Green".

for you

for you

for you for you for you for you
i write this song for you and only you
for me and only me to hear.

Inspired by Bill Evans playing, "Waltz for Debby".

Details

Details

It's quite funny how
you pass things everyday and
never notice them.

Inspired by Chet Baker playing, "I Fall in Love too Easily".