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The Waking
I wake to sleep, and take my waking slow.
I feel my fate in what I cannot fear.
I learn by going where I cannot go.
We think by feeling. What is there to know?
I hear my being dance from ear to ear.
I wake to sleep, and take my waking slow.
Of those so close beside me, which are you?
God bless the Ground! I shall walk softly there,
And learn by going where I have to go.
Light takes the Tree, but who can tell us how?
The lowly worm climbs up a winding stair;
I wake to sleep, and take my waking slow.
Great Nature has another thing to do
To you and me; so take the lively air,
And, lovely, learn by going where to go.
This shaking keeps me steady. I should know.
What falls away is always. And is near.
I wake to sleep, and take my waking slow.
I learn by going where I have to go.
--Theodore Roethke
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Joy's Updates - Straight from the Horse's Mouth.
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Sunday, October 09, 2005
Blues Festival
Helena, Arkansas, is a small town that opens its doors and heart to blues fans, some of whom have been attending their three-day festival, which was named the King Biscuit Blues Festival for the flour which also originated there, since its beginning. The New York City organization that produces the King Biscuit Flour Hour won't allow the festival to use its own name now, so for its 20th anniversary they had to change. Not fair, is it? Still the spirit of the festival prevailed, and the blues filled the air.
Earl and I drove down and met his daughter Margaret and Chuck who drove up from Florida. It was quite chilly and windy there by the Mississippi River, and I got sunburned Friday. Fortunately, it was cool enough Saturday to wear a jacket and protect my arms. I'm still a partial redneck, though. Most of our time was spent at the acoustic stage listening to Bob Margolin, Fruteland Jackson, Honey Boy Williams, Paul Geremia, and many others. Pinetop Perkins was at the main stage and was amazing at 92. The entire line-up is listed on the website. There are photos from last year, and I have a few in the new photos section of my Photo Album. I'll post some more when Earl emails me the ones he took.
We all stayed in Clarksdale, MS, where the Delta Blues Museum and Ground Zero Blues Club are located. (Just for the record, I had my own room. Earl and I don't have that kind of relationship and are more like siblings. Besides, even to save money, there's no way I could deal with his smoking, snoring, and messiness. OK, yes, I do have some control issues. LOL) The museum has some wonderful black-and-white photographs of musicians, baptisms, scenery, and other blues-related subjects by Bill Steber. It's really interesting and a worthwhile place to visit. Ground Zero is co-owned by Morgan Freeman and was featured in the documentary Last of the Mississippi Juke Joints. We didn't go in and found out too late to change our plans about a brunch today since the festival ended last night. Pinetop Perkins was honored at Hopson Plantation and was signing autographs. Earl had a poster of him he was hoping to get signed, but we missed that, too.
The crossroads of Highways 61 and 49 is the legendary location where Robert Johnson sold his soul to the devil in exchange for being able to play the guitar. The location of the crossroads is the subject of debate and speculation among those who like to do that kind of thing.
Sunday morning breakfast was at this neat place, the Delta Eye. There were events down the street at the Cat Head which sounded very interesting. This is a neat place to visit.
It was good to get away and have a change of scenery. I'm going to make plans to take some more trips and do things that are fun. I'm still feeling so good. The morning I woke up on my birthday, I felt great and still am. Maybe it just took three months for me to get over all those years of teaching. Or maybe it was having Brendan spend a night both weekends before my birthday. Plus being more active and enjoying cooler weather. Perhaps 62 is a better number for me than 61 was. Whatever it is, I like it.
9:44:00 PM
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