Wednesday, May 14, 2025

Long Live the Lakes

Long Live The Lakes 

Long Live the Lakes

Should this city crumble and burn 

May the river swallow us whole 

With each drop a thousand turns 


Long live the lakes 

Every car on john nolen drive 

May sink beneath mononas skin 

A quarter million people take a dive 


Long live the lakes 

And the people of the big voice 

May a new republic rise forth 

And may every worker make their choice 


Long live the lakes 

Long live the trees and flowers 

Long live the mighty heron and humble duck

Long live the songbirds singing away the hours 


Long live the lakes 

May the capitol fall to ruins 

Let the capitalists drown too

May every politician choke on their own pollution 


Long live the lakes 

Mendota’s canoes may float forever 

Waubesa's highway may shrink and wither 

Kegonsa’s lilies may bloom together 


Long live the lakes 

Wingra's springs may be reborn 

Bubble up clearly, pure forevermore 

Shall gentle feet make path stones worn 


Long live the lakes 

May they freeze every winter 

Snow piling higher with each dark day 

May their melting herald the summer 


Long live the lakes 

Their thousands of histories 

May I spend my moments near them 

And may they long outlive me 

Saturday, May 3, 2025

My love is a heron

My love is a heron

My love is a heron 

Stark black silhouette 

In the cloudy morning sky 


I cannot see your details

I know not of your eyes 

But I have seen the truth


I have seen your beauty 

In every land I’ve lived 

Shimmering amongst the cattails 


My love is a heron 

“Elegance” does no service 

To capture your grace


My love is a heron

Sailing upon the winds 

Won’t you glide down 


So I may see 

With my own eyes 

The details of your face 


Won’t you land in shallow water 

And I will walk upon the shore 

So I may meet my love the heron 


My love is a heron 

She is flying still 

I am here upon the ground 


If only I could grow wings 

And meet her at her heights 

Soar above the countryside 


Western rivers, Eastern ponds 

Midwest lakes and marshes 

I see you, love, across the water


My love is a heron 

I will join her as she fishes 

So we may sit together 


My love is a heron 

I will climb the tallest trees 

Catch a closer glimpse of my love upon the wing 


Of every bird upon the sky

I know my love’s design 

I will follow where she flies 


My love is a heron

I will see her in due time 


My love is a heron

I will meet her someday soon

Long Live the Lakes

Long Live The Lakes  Long Live the Lakes Should this city crumble and burn  May the river swallow us whole  With each drop a thousand turns ...