Stop Thinking About Time

Sorry it's been a few days since I actually posted anything, so I figured the blog was in need of some new stuff. This next poem/song is one of the first songs that I wrote that actually was, well, good. Before "Stop Thinking About Time" and "Concerning A Certain Someone", I pretty much wrote one or two songs that were not good at all, just a lot of droning and drop-D guitar strumming. This song came to be through a method I learned from a workshop I attended at my high school with singer/songwriter Brad Yoder. He told the whole lot of us that a great way to make new songs, is to play something you have made up, and just to sing whatever comes to mind. Even if it doesn't make any sense whatsoever, just do it. This can open the gates for something substantial. That's kinda what happened with "STAT". I made the intro chord pattern solely by accident, and after liking how it sounded, started to sing to it, and it just came. Once I get something going, and I like it, I will work at it till it is to my liking, I think the lyrics are more important to a song than the music. Yeah the music is what the people hear first, but I think it can take a back seat to the lyrics. If they are good and can stand on their own, then you've got some good lyrics. I felt that way about "STAT". I liked it, but I wasn't sure about others though, and then I played it for my guitar teacher. When I finished, he said to me, "That was fucking genius!" That boosted my self-esteem a lot, when a Duquesne alumnus who has a major in music and is a 30 year guitar vet/virtuoso tells me I wrote an awesome song in my fledgling years of guitar playing. I suppose you're wanting to see/hear what I'm ranting about. Here it is

Stop Thinking About Time

It is time we left, its time we stopped making sense
Using our heads got us no where, 'cept uneasy and pent
Up with confusion, my love let's jump blindly into Time
Let it fill us, let it be us, so sublime
(Chorus)
And I think its time I stopped thinking about time
And just let it all slip away
Let's just live life, live free without reason or rhyme
And just let come what may
Let's make a name for ourselves let's make our mark
And then tarnish it and refill the notch with lost bark
You and me sweet girl there couldn't be a better dream
Except only if it real, to bask in your eyes oh how they gleam
(Chorus)
I'm in the dark, I'm in the dark please release me
Let me have my exodus, chains be broken, I am free
(Chorus)
Assimilate, procreate, I here their hallowed cries
To conform to a world of braggarts, fools, and lies
But nonconformity creates jesters in its wake
So it's really a stab in the back either way
Love decide which way I should go
But why ask anyone at all
Its my life to live, its time I readied my bow
And aimed at the bulls-eye so far down the road
And its time I stopped thinking about time

Concerning A Certain Someone

Now this poem was written a few months before "A Pair". I just happened to come upon it after "A Pair". This was another (the first actually) poem/ present for Alyssa. We both worked at the same movie theater where we live, and they had a Secret Santa thing going on in December. Everyone drew a name and had to get a gift for that person. So when it was my turn to draw, either by luck, fate, or some preternatural force, I drew Alyssa's name. I had no idea at first what to get her, but at this time I had a mad crush on Alyssa, so I thought why not write a poem for her. And I set out to do just that. I had had it written for a week or so, and was noodling on my guitar when a little fingerpicked progression formed. I just haphazardly began to sing to it, and the words flowed perfectly.
The time then arrived to give her the song, I accompanied it with a nice candle and a mix CD of showtunes. I hadn't heard anything from her for a few days about it. I later learned as we became much closer, she didn't know really how to thank me. She says its the best gift anyone's ever given me. That really makes me feel awesome to be able to do that for her. The poem is posted below, and you can listen to the song here, www.myspace.com/theendisnigh123

"Concerning A Certain Someone"

Here you come in tap shoes, like an angel so sweet
Floating across tile, it is your smile that I meet
Just seeing you brings warmth to my soul
But when I embrace you, dear friend, I feel whole
Your voice it rings like Elysian halls
Cascading through the theater right across from the mall
Melodies seem sweeter, when sung from the soul
Hearing your song, dear friend, I do feel whole
A person like you I’ve never met before
So sweet and so humble and never a bore
Your gift of light, sweet girl, it must come from the soul
Because when I see it, dear friend, I feel whole
Your the epitome of wonderful, the definition of sweet
I await your arrival, girl of light, with your winged feet
Of your rhapsodical choir, and the love that you dole
Cause dear sweet friend of mine, it makes me whole

A Pair

This poem was written for my girlfriend on Valentine's Day. At the time she was a slightly confused as to what our relationship was. So as I went over to the house of a mutual friend of ours, I wrote this in her card. I liked how it turned out.
Now for some insight into the poem. Alyssa is a theater buff and was the student director for her high school's play last year. In turn, she sacrificed many of her snow days that the rest of the school had off, to go oversee "Thoroughly Modern Millie", leaving her there sometimes very late into the evening. I went to see her, and it was fabulous. It wasn't a Broadway performance, but that's not what you expect at a high school play, but it was great nevertheless. To see your peers up there, acting and singing their asses off is something to be admired.
I am to be in a musical with Alyssa this upcoming summer. She and several of her theater buddies are putting on "Spring Awakening", and they asked me to be in it. I've never acted before, so it should be an interesting experience. Apparently I have a voice made for this musical, because I'm not formally trained, I'm "raw" I suppose. Alyssa said that, I like that she thinks so fondly of my singing, cause others who are important to me don't necessarily think so.
But I digress, here's the poem,

"A Pair"

It’s now the end of the day
After I pushed that water away
And you were upstairs answering phones.
We sat in your car, outside my house
And kissed amongst the engine’s subtle tones.
Two days off due to snow and you still had to go to school
For that play you hold so dearly,
O I can see that clearly,
Till 9 o’ clock sometimes you’d be there.
And I’m sure of this one thing
No matter what the end of March’ll bring
In that row with your parents, I will be,
O and one more thing comes to mind
And I shan’t let this get left behind,
It doesn’t matter “what” we are,
What matters is that we are,
A pair...

Introduction

Hello everyone,
This is my inaugural post, so I figured I'd let you guys know what this blog is all about. Basically what you're gonna find here is any poetry that I write. I have written quite a bit so far, so I'll post that stuff, but otherwise I'm gonna try to update this blog regularly.
I guess i should introduce myself as well, I am Michael Simon and I am a first year college student at the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown. My major is Creative Writing and I am very much in love with my girlfriend, Alyssa, writing, and music. I am a pretty laid back person, and I like to think I know what I'm talking about half the time.
Music is an essential part of my life, I listen to music or play it (I've been playing guitar for almost a decade) any and every chance I get. What I've been listening to most recently is Wovenhand's "Mosaic", Coheed & Cambria's "No World For Tomorrow", Tom Waits' "Orphans", and Jeff Buckley's "Grace".
But enough about that, let's get to the poetry, that's what this is all about anyways. So comment these, tell me what you guys think. Thanks!