Word appreciation—some thoughts about writing
The beginning of this was a post to the unschooling discussion list.
Art Garfunkle came on to sing The Boxer with him, and they did a verse I didn't know. I couldn't understand the second verse so I went to google, but I thought the words were so simple and common it might be hard to find. I found it, though, with lots of commentary on the when and who and where of previous performances. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Boxer But looking at that idea of the very common words, I saw the simplicity of the words, and the beauty of the ideas:
Now the years are rolling by me
They are rocking evenly
I am older than I once was
Younger than I'll be, that's not unusual.
No, it isn't strange
After changes upon changes
We are more or less the same
After changes we are more or less the same
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You're older than you've ever been And now you're even older... And now you're older still. Time marches on And time is still marching on. This day will soon be at an end And now it's even sooner... And now it's sooner still. —They Might Be Giants Smoke on the water Fire in the sky Sunshine go away today I don't feel much like dancin'... |
Poor Faulkner. Does he really think big emotions come from big words? He thinks I don’t know the ten-dollar words. I know them all right. But there are older and simpler and better words, and those are the ones I use.Here from Bartleby's, Joyce Kilmer's poem which was a standard for schoolkids to memorize in the early 20th century in the U.S.: http://www.bartleby.com/104/119.html–ERNEST HEMINGWAY
119. TreesKilmer was in his 20's when he wrote that, and then died in WWII at the age of 31. Except for the word "intimately," and "poem" which is from Greek, way back, those words were in English since before there was an English—very ancient words. And yet they could be put into a new arrangement in the 20th century that would inspire and last.I THINK that I shall never see
A poem lovely as a tree.A tree whose hungry mouth is prest
Against the sweet earth's flowing breast;A tree that looks at God all day,
And lifts her leafy arms to pray;A tree that may in summer wear
A nest of robins in her hair;Upon whose bosom snow has lain;
Who intimately lives with rain.Poems are made by fools like me,
But only God can make a tree.
Another Paul Simon song (written with Bruce Woodley) is full of ancient, small words:
I should have known you'd bid me farewell."Ornament" and "confide" are newer English words ("newer" meaning hundreds of years instead of thousands). That is some fine use of Iron-Age words.
There's a lesson to be learned from this and I learned it very well
Now I know you're not the only starfish in the sea.
If I never hear your name again it's all the same to me.And I think it's gonna be all right.
Yeah, the worst is over,
Now the morning sun is shining like a red rubber ball.You never cared for secrets I'd confide.
For you I'm just an ornament, something for your pride.
Always running, never caring, that's the life you live.
Stolen minutes of your time were all you had to give.And I think it's gonna be all right.
Yeah, the worst is over,
Now the morning sun is shining like a red rubber ball.The story's in the past with nothing to recall.
I've got my life to live and I don't need you at all.
The roller coaster ride we took is nearly at an end.
I bought my ticket with my tears, that's all I'm gonna spend.And I think it's gonna be all right.
Yeah, the worst is over,
Now the morning sun is shining like a red rubber ball.
Marty told a joke in front of several people the other day and I laughed, and he reminded me I was the one who had told it to him. It was "What does a Grateful Dead fan say when he's not stoned?" "This music sucks!" (Just because I've heard it, and I had told it, didn't keep it from being funny.)
Perhaps the performances and recordings were unpolished, but some of the lyrics are sterling. So I've brought this as an example of simple Anglo-Saxon English and deep thought. I'm not sure whether the links will come through, but it's from http://arts.ucsc.edu/gdead/ agdl/atti.html and there's reference to a 14th century poem (among other things).
There's an article that was brought to the UnschoolingDiscussion list the other day, and I linked it and commented here. It's about wonder. So is this song. http://sandradodd.com/duckford/judgment
Sandra
"I have spent my life seeking all that's still unsung""Attics of My Life"
Words by Robert Hunter; music by Jerry Garcia
In the attics of my life
NOTE: "Attics of my Life" is already rough on the studio recording. This is someone's live capture, from a performance, and is very rough. Still it's worth having since the words are here, and if your family sings harmonies, it might be worth learning.
Full of cloudy dreams unreal
Full of tastes no tongue can know
And lights no eye can see
When there was no ear to hear
You sang to me
I have spent my life
Seeking all that's still unsung
Bent my ear to hear the tune
And closed my eyes to see
When there were no strings to play
You played to me
In the book of love's own dream
Where all the print is blood
Where all the pages are my days
And all my lights grow old
When I had no wings to fly
You flew to me
You flew to me
In the secret space of dreams
Where I dreaming lay amazed
When the secrets all are told
And the petals all unfold
When there was no dream of mine
You dreamed of me
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Easier Said than Done The Essex
My friends all tell me |
Glad All Over
The Dave Clark Five
You say that you love me |
Surfer Girl
The Beach Boys
Little surfer little one ("everywhere" and "together" are long, but they're native English compounds) |
Your Cheatin' Heart
Hank Williams
Your cheatin' heart will make you weep, |
Shout a warning unto the nation that the sword of God is raised!", concerning the song "Pride of Man" by Hamilton Camp. The lyrics are there. My comment was:
Holy cow.He links video of a live performance by Jefferson Starship. Unfortunately, it's not on Project Playlist by Quicksilver Messenger Service (nor by anyone) or I would've added it to the playlist.Except for maybe "terror," "repaid," "nation" and treasure" (give or take), Anglo-Saxon words.
Lo, it uses "lo"!
I've been collecting some things with "small words," and I'll link this from there.
I got a note from Schuyler saying she liked my MySpace song. It's Red Rubber Ball, that I had quoted here as evidence of powerful writing with little Anglo-Saxon words. But the song I'd rather have, and used to have, on My Space, is Sister Hazel's "Change Your Mind." It's the closing song in the movie Bedazzled, which is one of the finest illustrations of self acceptance ever created, and I'm glad Kirby kept pressing me to watch it.
But I got to thinking about the lyrics of this song, and it is yet another example of big ideas stated in small words. There are two words I spotted on a once-through that aren't native Germanic, but both of them are used in idiomatic expressions (phrases that come whole), and so it's understandable. One is "state" and one is "seize" (I think Greek and Latin origins, respectively). There might be others; if you find any, let me know, but I think the rest are words that English's grandma had.
Hey, Hey
Did you ever think there might be another way
To just feel better, just feel better about today
Oh no-
If you never want to have to turn and go away,
You might feel better might feel better if you stay.
Yeah yeah
I bet you haven't heard a word I've said
Yeah yeah
If you've had enough of all your trying
Just give up the state of mind you're in
[Chorus] If you want to be somebody else,Hey hey-
If you're tired of fighting battles with yourself.
If you want to be somebody else
Change your mind, change your mind.
Have you ever danced in the rain or thanked the sun
Just for shining, just for shining o'er the sea?v
Oh no!
Take it all in—the world's a show,
And yeah, you look much better, look much better when you glow.
Yeah yeah
I hope you heard every word I’ve said.
Yeah yeah
If you've had enough of all your trying
Just give up the state of mind you're in
[Chorus]Hey hey- what ya say we both go and seize the day,
'Cause what's your hurry, what's your hurry anyway?
Yeah yeah
I hope you’ve heard every word I've said
Yeah yeah
If you've had enough of all your tryin'
Just give up the state of mind you're in:
[Chorus a little different:]
If you want to be somebody else,
If you're tired of losing battles with yourself...
...change your mind.
Get out of your mind, get out of your mind,
Just close your mind.
Sandra