Return To Reluctantly Collected Poems
Poems in W
by
Douglas L. Simmons
Copyright © 2005 by Douglas L. Simmons
* * *
Most of my career as a musician I spent playing Country Music, mixed with the occasional 60's or 70's Rock Song. For a brief time, during the 1980's, I played drums and sang lead in a "Rush" style Heavy Metal band. I truly did enjoy this sojourn into the "Twilight Zone" and loved screaming out those high pitched challenges to a world which (unlike the 60's) did not know, and cared little less, that her young warriors were charging into battle (for what cause, none of us knew) against her.
This poem began as a Heavy Metal song.
The idea came from the atmosphere of the room we practiced in; it oozed from the walls, which had become saturated with some primordial etheric pheromone generated by the sheer volume and nature of the music we unleashed against those plaster bastions of civilization.
During a pause between songs, the lead guitar player yelled out "Warriors!" and began to hammer out a loping charge on his guitar. I joined in on the drums and, as the angst of the room spirited itself into my pores, began to sing what, at that moment, was in my heart. The result is written below....
-
Warrior
Warriors used to be the ones
the people all would praise.
But warrior all your honor's gone
and you've seen your better days.
Once you were a hero
fighting through the pain.
But all the wars you're fighting now
don't seem to mean a thing.
For now you're just a ghost
upon your ghostly plain.
All the heroes walk beside you there
but they never will again.
I used to want to be the one,
the one who followed you.
And all those peasants in their huts
they would have followed too.
But now I see warriors and kings
must give up everything
that lets a man half understand
when he's lying in his grave.
Now warrior all your echoed deeds
are meaningless at best,
and all your ghosts run after you
upon your empty quest.
Just what would your people say
if they could see you now?
I think that they would laugh at you
and walk away somehow.
You led them from their childhood
and you led them to their grave.
It must be that when they knew you
there was something left to save.
You will never understand this thing
for heroes do not die.
Oh, warrior could it be
that you are learning how to cry?
And could it be you're crying now
because of emptiness
and not because the warriors died
to serve their kings request?
Doug L.
Hammond, IN.
1985
-
Whatever Else I Do
I'm gonna keep on lovin' you.
I'm gonna keep on lovin' you.
Whatever else I finally do
I'll keep on lovin' you.
When I woke up this mornin'
the note here said you'd gone.
Well I think that's the worst sorrow
this poor heart has ever known.
I know I made you feel that way.
I know how hard you tried to stay.
If we could live one thousand years
I could never make it up my dear.
But I'll keep on lovin' you.
I'm gonna keep on lovin' you.
Whatever else I finally do.
I'll keep on lovin' you.
You helped me through my bad days.
Held me in the lonely night.
You're the reason for all my good days,
and any thing that's ever gone right.
If I had been the one who'd left you
I could understand you feeling this way.
But whatever else I've done to you darlin'
I promised I would always stay.
Well I'm gonna keep on lovin' you.
I'm gonna keep on lovin' you.
Whatever else I finally do
I'll keep on lovin' you.
Doug L. 1980's
-
(with chord changes for singing - moderato)
Whatever Else I Do
I'm gonna (A) keep on lovin' you.
I'm gonna (D) keep on lovin' you.
Whatever else I (G) finally do
I'll (A) keep on (D) lovin' you. (A)
When I (A) woke up this mornin'
the note (D) here said you'd gone.
Well I think (E) that's the worst sorrow
this (A) poor heart has ever known.
I know (A) I made you feel that way.
I know (D) how hard you tried to stay.
If we (A) could live one thousand years
I could (E) never make it up my dear.
But I'll (A) keep on lovin' you.
I'm gonna (D) keep on lovin' you.
Whatever else I (G) finally do.
I'll (A) keep on (D) lovin' you. (A)
You (A) helped me through my bad days.
Held (D) me in the lonely night.
You're the (E) reason for all my good days,
and any thing (A) that's ever gone right.
If I(A) had been the one who'd left you
I could (D) understand you feeling this way.
But (A) whatever else I've done to you darlin'
I promised (E) I would always stay.
Well I'm gonna (A) keep on lovin' you.
I'm gonna (D) keep on lovin' you.
Whatever else I (G) finally do
I'll (A) keep on (D) lovin' you. (A)
Doug L. 1980's
-
Where Were You?
It's so good to have you now,
but now the damage is done.
It's so good you love me now,
but now I'm out in the sun.
It's so good to hold you now,
but now I'm not on the run.
Ooo-- where were you
when I needed you?
And I remember all the years
in the backwash of your tears.
Giving away my youth
trying to find you the truth.
Comforting you when you were turned down.
Oh, but where you
when I needed you around?
Doug L.
-
Why's He Holding You?
I smell the perfume on your skin
and it smells like another man.
Who's been holding you so tight
while I was working late at night?
I wish you'd love me once again
like you loved me way back when.
Who are you holding oh so tight
while I'm working late tonight?
I work these hours so I can pay
for all the things you have today.
Somebody said once long ago;
"Be real careful what you hold."
The things you think are yours will never stay
and all your dreams will fade away.
But darling please before you go
tell me how your love could grow so cold?
I wish you'd love me once again
the way you did when we began.
Someone told me long ago;
"Son be real careful of what you hold."
I smell the perfume on your skin
and it smells like another man.
Who's been holding you so tight
while I was working late at night?
Why's he holding you so tight
while I'm loving you tonight?
Doug L. (mid 1980's)
-
The Woman
The woman laid her head
down on his bed.
Her maiden name
had passed away.
Tenderly she called
him to her side.
She would not hide,
or be denied.
Lovingly she helped
his children grow.
He couldn't help but know
she loved him so.
She fell stricken
on the grave and cried,
the empty time
her young son died.
Daughter do you know
what your mother's seen?
Can you build a dream
to stand the pain?
Doug L.
September 30,1974
Hammond, Indiana
-
Wonder Where He'll Fall?
See the man stumble,
wonder where he'll fall?
Don't he look so humble,
don't you hear him call?
Yesterday you passed him
begging in the street.
Today you've seen the last of him
dying at your feet.
I guess we've left
all of our best years behind,
so long since we've held the gift
of tears in our mind.
What could he leave
for you who come after?
Only his grief,
and his bitter laughter.
You have not known him,
never looked in his eyes.
You believe you've outgrown him
up there in your skies.
Look at us stumble,
wonder where we'll fall?
Don't we look so humble?
Don't we look so small?
Doug L.
November 10, 1973
Mainz, Germany
-
The Words
Someone tell me the words,
the words to say.
Things to say she hasn't heard
to tell her she must stay.
Nothing left I haven't done,
another way I know,
to keep the love we have begun.
That's ending if she goes.
Doug L.
October 10, 1972
Mainz, Germany
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