On Writing: Richard Peck

Writers Write Meme Gallery

Clear and Present Dangers……Confucius

“The beginning of wisdom is to call things by their proper name.”

― Confucius

Serapis Flag

September 23, 1779 — Battle of Flamborough Head

Gerry & The Pacemakers – Ferry Cross The Mersey

Life goes on day after day
Hearts torn in every way

So ferry, cross the Mersey
‘Cause this land’s the place I love
And here I’ll stay

People they rush everywhere
Each with their own secret care

So ferry, cross the Mersey
And always take me there
The place I love

People around every corner
They seem to smile and say
We don’t care what your name is boy
We’ll never turn you away

So I’ll continue to say
Here I always will stay

So ferry, cross the Mersey
‘Cause this land’s the place I love
And here I’ll stay
And here I’ll stay
Here I’ll stay

Clear and Present Dangers……John Brunner

“If there is such a phenomenon as absolute evil, it consists in treating another human being as a thing.”

― John Brunner

Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band – Jungleland (Live in New York City)

The Rangers had a homecoming
In Harlem late last night
And the Magic Rat drove his sleek machine
Over the Jersey state line
Barefoot girl sitting on the hood of a Dodge
Drinking warm beer in the soft summer rain
The Rat pulls into town rolls up his pants
Together they take a stab at romance
And disappear down Flamingo Lane

Well the Maximum Lawmen run down Flamingo
Chasing the Rat and the barefoot girl
And the kids round here look just like shadows
Always quiet, holding hands
From the churches to the jails
Tonight all is silence in the world
As we take our stand
Down in Jungleland

The midnight gang’s assembled
And picked a rendezvous for the night
They’ll meet ‘neath that giant Exxon sign
That brings this fair city light
Man there’s an opera out on the Turnpike
There’s a ballet being fought out in the alley
Until the local cops
Cherry Tops

Rips this holy night
The street’s alive
As secret debts are paid
Contacts made, they vanish unseen
Kids flash guitars just like switch-blades
Hustling for the record machine
The hungry and the hunted
Explode into rock’n’roll bands
That face off against each other out in the street
Down in Jungleland

In the parking lot the visionaries
Dress in the latest rage
Inside the backstreet girls are dancing
To the records that the DJ plays
Lonely-hearted lovers
Struggle in dark corners
Desperate as the night moves on
Just one look
And a whisper, and they’re gone

Beneath the city two hearts beat
Soul engines running through a night so tender
In a bedroom locked
In whispers of soft refusal
And then surrender
In the tunnels uptown
The Rat’s own dream guns him down
As shots echo down them hallways in the night
No one watches when the ambulance pulls away
Or as the girl shuts out the bedroom light
Outside the street’s on fire
In a real death waltz
Between what’s flesh and what’s fantasy
And the poets down here
Don’t write nothing at all
They just stand back and let it all be
And in the quick of the night
They reach for their moment
And try to make an honest stand
But they wind up wounded
Not even dead
Tonight in Jungleland

Clear and Present Dangers……Euripides

“Hate is a bottomless cup; I will pour and pour.”

― Euripides

Whitesnake – Here I Go Again 2004 Live Video

I don’t know where I’m goin’
But I sure know where I’ve been
Hangin’ on the promises in songs of yesterday
And I’ve made up my mind
I ain’t wastin’ no more time
Here I go again
Here I go again
Though I keep searchin’ for an answer
Never did I find what I’m lookin’ for
Oh Lord, I pray you give me strength to carry on
‘Cause I know what it means
To walk along the lonely street of dreams
Here I go again on my own
Goin’ down the only road I’ve ever known
Like a drifter I was born to walk alone
But I’ve made up my mind
I ain’t wastin’ no more time
I’m just another heart in need of rescue
Waitin’ on love’s sweet charity
And I’m gonna hold on for the rest of my days
‘Cause I know what it means
To walk along the lonely street of dreams
And here I go again on my own
Goin’ down the only road I’ve ever known
Like a drifter I was born to walk alone
And I’ve made up my mind
I ain’t wastin’ no more time
But here I go again
Here I go again
Here I go again
Here I go

‘Cause I know what it means
To walk along the lonely street of dreams
And here I go again on my own
Goin’ down the only road I’ve ever known
Like a drifter I was born to walk alone
And I’ve made up my mind
I ain’t wastin’ no more time
And here I go again on my own
Goin down the only road I’ve ever known
Like a drifter I was born to walk alone
‘Cause I know what it means
To walk along the lonely street of dreams
And here I go again on my own
Goin’ down the only road I’ve ever known
Like a drifter I was born to walk alone…

Clear and Present Dangers……Babette Deutsch

“Poetry is the fiery index to the genius of the age.”

— Babette Deutsch

 

Eagles – ” Take It Easy ” – released on May 1, 1972

Well, I’m a-running down the road
Tryin’ to loosen my load
I’ve got seven women on my mind
Four that wanna own me
Two that wanna stone me
One says she’s a friend of mine

Take it easy, take it easy
Don’t let the sound of your own wheels drive you crazy
Lighten up while you still can
Don’t even try to understand
Just find a place to make your stand
And take it easy

Well, I’m a-standing on a corner
In Winslow, Arizona
Such a fine sight to see
It’s a girl, my Lord
In a flat-bed Ford
Slowin’ down to take a look at me

Come on, baby
Don’t say “Maybe”
I gotta know
If your sweet love
Is gonna save me
We may lose and we may win
Though we will never be here again
So open up, I’m climbin’ in
So take it easy

Well, I’m running down the road
Trying to loosen my load
Got a world of trouble on my mind
Lookin’ for a lover
Who won’t blow my cover
She’s so hard to find

Take it easy, take it easy
Don’t let the sound of your own wheels make you crazy
Come on, baby
Don’t say “Maybe”
I gotta know
If your sweet love
Is gonna save me

Oh we got it easy
We oughta take it easy

Clear and Present Dangers……H.G. Wells

“What really matters is what you do with what you have.”

― H.G. Wells