December 25, 2007 

A Ticket To Somewhere

I was hangin’ round the station

without a place to go.

Waitin’ for some revelation…

Wond’ring why my life’s been so low.

Then a stranger asked a question

that hadn’t entered my mind.

Turned out to be the best one

I could find.

“Would you like a ticket to somewhere?

You with no place to go.

Freedom’s waitin’ out there…

Don’t you know?

With a ticket to somewhere

you’ve got someplace to go.

Freedom’s really a place

you can know.”

So I walked up to the window;

looked th’ guy right in th’ eye.

I said, “Give me a ticket to somewhere…

a ticket before I die.

“Just a ticket to take me

far from the trouble I’m in.

Don’t give me a ticket

back to where I’ve been.”

Yes, I want a ticket to somewhere…

I’ve had no place to go.

Freedom’s waitin’ out there…

don’t you know?

We all need a ticket to somewhere.

We all need someplace to go.

Freedom’s there for us all,

don’t you know?

~ balladeer-8~

Copyright © 2007 All Rights Reserved

Freedom and Liberty

We have just observed another anniversary of that terrible, never to be forgotten day of infamy and attack… not only upon America — the ever-lasting bastion of Freedom for mankind… but truly an attack upon all people who love or want Freedom and Liberty all over this planet we all share.

Mr. Thomas Paine’s historic words carry forward with us into tomorrow’s hopes and yesterday’s memories. So, I include them once again… hoping to inspire all of us to seek and defend Freedom of Spirit and to fight for our Liberties through constant alertness, constant willingness to fight back!

“THESE are the times that try men’s souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: it is dearness only that gives every thing its value. Heaven knows how to put a proper price upon its goods; and it would be strange indeed if so celestial an article as FREEDOM should not be highly rated.”

Herewith, I present to you a slideshow of September 11, 2001 photos created by Ron Burch, August 2007. Many of these, you may never have seen before.

World Trade Center – 9-11-2001

(Click to begin Power Point slideshow.)

(Click browser back-button twice to end slideshow.)

In your eyes I see the space
and stars of the Milky Way.

In your smile I see the dawn
of bright sunny, endless days.

And In your voice I hear the song
of willows, wind and brooks.

Chorus:
For you’re the space of the heavens,
moon of the night, sun of a high noon,
dawn of morning light… and Stars of the Milky Way!

In your form I see the work
of the master of many books.

In your walk I see the dance
and rhythm of passions yet untold.

And in your arms I feel the strength
of a thousand bands of gold.

Chorus:
For you’re the space of the heavens,
moon of the night, sun of a high noon,
dawn of morning light… and Stars of the Milky Way!

© ~balladeer-8~
© Copyright 2007 – All Rights Reserved

Gentle breezes in my hair,

wonder… wonder… Are you there?

Gentle Breezes on my face,

have you now come from distant place?

Gentle breezes waft a scent

reminding me… my sad lament.

Gentle breezes from afar

leave me wonder where you are.

Gentle breezes speak of thee…

how can I find where you may be.

Gentle breezes tell my soul

our love’s not done… time has no toll.

Gentle breezes through the trees

bring you now my heart to please.

I turned my head and you were there

dancing lightly upon the air.

Whence came you how so light a touch

upon my brow, my lips and such?

Though times have past and ages flown,

Our love so vast that we have known.

‘‘Tis ours again… ‘twas always so…

and does sustain where’ere we go.

~balladeer-8~
© Copyright 2007 All Rights Reserved

An allegory about our nation’s borders — 

Why every effort to pass an Immigration Bill in Congress fails is so very simple to understand, if for a few minutes we take the whole problem, the whole discussion, and put it all into another venue. If we look at the situation in the manner about to be presented, much of the confusion and bewilderment vanishes. 

Let’s suppose there is a very large, very, very huge ship out on an ocean. This ship had been on a voyage for much more than thirty years (if one can imagine that!). Her name was Old Glory. 

A very many years ago, some of the crew noticed small leaks in the vessel’s outmost hull. They casually mentioned the matter to their chief. “Yeah, yeah, yeah… nothing much to worry about. Bring me a cup of coffee”, was his only response. 

Time passed. The small leaks, unattended, un-repaired, grew much, much larger. The crews were  replaced by new crews more than once. Again, some rookie crewman was exploring around below decks, prodding about in the bilge area. He saw that bilge water was at an alarmingly high level. Poking around some more, he spotted the leaks formerly reported that were not fixed. By then, they were not leaks… they were dribbling and spewing streams of water. 

He reported the alarming facts to his chief, who replied, “Yeah, yeah. I know all about those leaks, but nothing can be done about them. I’ve sent reports up the chain of command and all I get back is ‘Just put some more men on it and stop bothering us’ from the deck officer… even the captain.” 

This matter continued to worsen and was finally noticed when the great ship developed a serious list to port side. Then, the officers and even the captain of the ship got into “action!” 

They proposed assessing the water damage in cabins, hiring more stewards, redecorating the lounges and halls where they dined, and, “Oh, by the way, give orders to Purchasing to acquire vast shipments of putty to try stuffing into some of the leakier spots so as to slow the water gushing into Old Glory.”  

They reported, “We can’t do anything about all the water because the bilge pumps are out of order. We can’t get the water up in buckets and heave it over the side. We’ll discuss it some more and vote on some comprehensive solutions. Now the rest of you just get back to work and mind your own business. Trust us. We’ll take care of it.” 

A bright young lieutenant (a new arrival on Old Glory) heard the rumors about unfixable leaks. He checked it out for verification. Astounded, he made his way to the captain’s table in the dining hall for “Important Officials” and demanded in a loud voice, “Why didn’t someone just repair the holes that are leaking water in. Do that first! Then we’ll figure out what to do with the water in the bilge!” 

I do not mean nor imply by this little story, that those who have immigrated here as non-citizens and are here in violation of our nation’s laws should be in any way insulted or degraded. They are people just as are the rest of the population. But politicians should enforce the laws of immigration already enacted and seal up the leaking holes in Old Glory’s hull. Then, when that is actually done, intelligent measures can be brought to bear on humane solutions to the remaining problems facing  our citizenry and immigrants who have come here illegally. 

Solve problems by handling the most important things first! Then others will be found more doable!