My teen days sang
to the melancholy ballads
of James Taylor
as I climbed my way to adulthood
Being a teen was a mixture
of fire and rain,
young adulthood came on like
steamroller blues
then parenthood, (how sweet it is)
mixed with career and
more fire and rain
The challenge of growing up
was to find the right hand-hold
secure a solid toe-hold
to scale the mountain of maturity
but James Taylor was there
to help me make a stand
Taylor now pets his old dog,
Ting, by the fire
youthful angst dissolving
into domestic content
yet, he’s still making music –
his 19th album soon to be released
while on his way down a country road
on the other side of the mountain
Like Taylor I’m on my way down, too
enjoying the ride of growing older
sliding down faster now
than I lived while climbing up
but ahhhh
on this trip I can enjoy
the breeze
James Taylor’s new album, American Standard, will be released February 28, 2020.
Italicized words are song lyrics or titles from James Taylor’s album Sweet Baby James (1970).
This post is one in a series of my creative benefactors. Others include Walking with Thich Nhat Hanh, Chopping Veggies with the Buddha, and For Billy.
Loved this. You did a fantastic job of weaving the lyrics with your words.
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Oh, thank you, Heather. I had a good time writing this and listening to his early music that I grew up on. I appreciate your comment.
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You are most welcome. He is a favourite of mine. I will have to look for his new album.
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There’s a link to it just after the poem. It’s called American Standard and it comes out on the 28th. From what I’ve read, he has redone a lot of show tunes that his parents listened to when he was growing up. I’m looking forward to hearing it too.
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That sounds interesting…thanks for the link.
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I,too, loved this poem as I make my way down the other side of the mountain. As sgeoil said, you seamlessly wove his lyrics and your words.
Thank you.
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The journey down this side sure goes a lot faster! 🙂 I am glad you enjoyed the poem, Joan. I appreciate your kind comment.
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Love James Taylor. Sigh.
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Me, too.
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I also came of age with James Taylor’s songs soothing me. Thanks for the alert of his new album. I will definitely check it out!
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You are welcome. There’s an interview with him in a recent Time magazine. His album won’t come out for two more days. I’m looking forward to it because I love his music and I also love show tunes. Should be interesting. Thanks for stopping by, Allana.
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I enjoyed this trip down memory lane, LuAnne.
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I’m glad you enjoyed it, V.J. I am glad he is still making music.
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Yes, such a talent.
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