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Looking For a Sign

Sixty miles an hour on a lonely midnight ride
Drinkin’ moonshine whiskey
And the road was misty all along the mountainside
I recalled a summer evening and an old porch swing
Stars were burnin’ brightly
Susie there beside me tryin’ on that golden ring
Then I passed some painted plywood fasted to an oak
It said Kingsnake River was just ten miles up the road

But I kept on goin’
And followin’ the yellow line
Hopin’ for an omen
That life and death were by design
Just drivin’ in the night and searchin’ for the light
Lookin’ for a sign

I saw haunted willow trees with tears of hangin’ moss
And a desp’rate madness
Soon replaced the sadness of my tragedy and loss
Somewhere ‘cross that river was a porch swing ‘neath the stars
Darkness whispered sweetly
That my love’d meet me and forever would be ours
So I gunned my Chevy up to eighty headin’ south
One more scrap of plywood said the river bridge was out

But I kept on goin’
And followin’ the yellow line
Hopin’ for an omen
That life and death were by design
Just drivin’ in the night and searchin’ for a guide
Lookin’ for a sign

spoken

Then I saw a porch swing on a farm
Swayin’ slowly ‘neath a patch of stars
Like what haunted me, somehow wanted me
To see those lights come shinin’ through
And they showed me that our time on earth
Is just borrowed from the universe
O and it’s a crime, to return our time
Before the heavens say it’s due

So I hit the brakes and fin’lly skidded to a stop
Though I knew forever
Waited in that river in a quick and painless drop
When I turned around that farm and porch swing weren’t there
Just a patch of stars to watch me park and say a prayer

Then I kept on goin’
And followin’ the yellow line
Cos I’d seen an omen
That life and death are by design
Just drivin’ in the night and searchin’ for the light
Lookin’ for a sign

©2010 Robert George

Wow, Robert

I love the way you write, always great stuff coming from you, this one had me on the edge of my chair...loved it..glyn

thanks glynda.

Grouch,
this one would grow on someone more with each listen. Much deeper than common fare.

Have fun,
John

John Mellencamp was on NPR recently and said, I only write four songs. I got the same 4 songs and I just rewrite them 50 times." One of his songs is "mortality" i think he sang three different versions of it in this one interview.

I don't know if you have 4 songs or 100 but you often write about "looking for meaning". That is a poets quest and you are definitely a poet.

The NPR interview discusses song craft and it is worth a listen;
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=129303836&ft=1&f=13

I wonder why you chose to begin in present tense, but switched to past tense; remaining there for the rest of your story? I kept waiting to be brought back to the present.

Torn Page

thanks Joe...hey, did you get my e-mail/PM?

Torn Page, the entire lyric is in past tense. the first two lines are neutral but after that it's clear it's past tense. note the "was" in line 3.

"was" --- Point made; taken.
Curious, why past tense?

for a story song, past tense is much easier to write.

I guess it's a personal thing; I prefer to, when I write to write in present tense.

Good luck with it,
TP

hey Torn Page...whenever someone comments on my stuff with only a few posts to their name, it always makes me curious. have you been around JPF or other sites under a different name?

Wow, Couch.....I couldn't resist reading one of yours again, and this baby is deep and lovely.
Sunny

Deep and beautiful.

I don't how you do it, Robert, but if I did...I'd do it too . This is about as good as it gets, but I've thought that before and, well, you'll probably top it tomorrow.

Best,
Scott