saw your shooting star tonight shattering the black of the night flying across an amber palette burning bright for all to see that’s your mystique slicing that veil of darkness let your light shine through my darlin’ you shine best on the darkest of nights burning brightly chasing my dark away that’s what you do best dragging me to the light my darlin’
© 2016 michael d emmerich
I don’t often post reviews of books that I read, but I have to post this link to my goodreads site, as this book will be placed alongside a few other books that will never leave my desk.
I am still flicking through the pages to read sections I have flagged … I find it such an inspiring read … cannot recommend it enough.
I need to state my conflict of interest upfront – I am a HUGE Springsteen fan 🙂
Michael’s Review – Born to Run
I have been forced to place the iconic album image from the Born in the USA album … by you know who …. 😉
Been silent for awhile, still writing furiously and embroiled with emotion. Here are a few quotes that have drawn me into different places.
it’s all gods will I was made to do it evil deeds as a “good man” the hypocrisy of it all god is good as long as it’s my god on whose side is god the victor or the vanquished the entitled or the underdog whose god is on your side?
© 2017 michael d emmerich
some kind of pain some kind of joy some kind of beauty some kind of despair some kind of life …….. what’s it all about?
© 2017 michael d Emmerich
Another lust-filled homecoming poem – dedicated to my love ♥
your ravenous desire sucks the air from my lungs oh, our reckless desire we are burning up turn the flames up higher feel the heat, the beat keep the fire burning that moment when we meet let me feel your desire ….. tonight, my love I will have you
© 2017 michael d emmerich
oh that exquisite beautiful tragedy giving birth to amazing creativity ….. nobody feels any pain nobody feels any joy ……. to feel joy you must first experience pain ……. or is it the other way round?
© 2017 michael d emmerich
travelling into my space that road oft travelled neither visitor or tenant be just passing by stopping to stare donning spectacles of perspective discovering what lies beneath as I a passer-by be dream or dead space? haunted by conversations of those who reside on yonder neighbours they not be in transit, not overnighting reading what lies beneath obligated to document that others might believe
© 2017 michael d emmerich
A series of pictures I took last week, whilst out on my mountain bike in The DRC (Africa), reminded me of a barren wind swept post apocalypse, dystopian landscape. The pictures are of a mine waste dump, so the soil is lifeless, the water is questionable at best, and the wind whips up the waste product into dust clouds that hang in the air, and distort the horizon.
These images have nudged my mind to craft a short story – what do they do for you? what emotions do they evoke?
What are your favourite Dystopian Novels?
Here are a few of mine: (in no particular order – and I know I have left out so many more)
Feel free to add to this list 🙂 – hopefully you will mention some that I have not yet encountered.
This post rises from the ashes of an article I penned sometime back; On the Celebration of Creativity, at that time, one of my avid followers Juandre Hayton requested that I share my (creative) playlists, the music I listen to when I want to be inspired. Sorry its taken so long Juandre and thanks for the reminder – mate 🙂
I have at least 5 playlists that I plug into, and they are mainly dominated by Bob, Bruce and David. The lyrics of Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen always come to the fore – my Bob&Bruce playlist, which is collectively all their music that I have, over a 1,000 songs, even keeps me company on long runs, MTB rides and gym workouts (lexiebrookeblog) Within the playlist, Bruce’s 3 raw acoustic albums Nebraska, Devils and Dust and The Ghost of Tom Joad dominate, at times I just let an album play out, in its entirety ….. in my trusty headphones.
These, the are the music playlists, that keep me flitting on the edges of deep dark thoughtful emotions.
“A great deal of poetic work has arisen from various despairs.”
Lou Andreas-Salomé, the First Woman Psychoanalyst, on Depression and Creativity in Letters to Rilke
Play List Titles
Each list serves a different inspirational purpose – and it really just depends on my mood on the day, at times I start with one playlist and then switch to another.
Bob&Bruce: collectively all their music that I have, about 1,000 plus songs. These two articles discuss my Fav Bob albums and songs, the songs/albums that inspire me: My Top 10 Bob Dylan Songs and My Top 10 Bob Dylan Love Songs
Prog Rock Rules: I love the melodic, synth, orchestral sounds of (Classic) Progressive Rock; here you will find Wendy Carlos, Rick Wakeman, Iron Butterfly, ELP, Tonoto’s Expanding Headband, King Crimson, Tangerine Dream, Alan Parsons and Strawbs.
Obscured at the Rainbow: includes my favourite Pink Floyd Albums (Dark Side, Wish You Were Here, Momentary Lapse, Endless River, Division Bell, Zabriskie Point) and the 4 solo albums of David Gilmour. read about my love of Gilmour here: The Solace in the Silence
The Boss: Just Bruce, but then I do play some albums on their own, the three I mentioned above, plus Magic, The Rising, We Shall Overcome … and others 🙂 Check out this article to read my perspective on the songs of Bruce: The Bard of New Jersey
Ulver: I have a preference for their more recent experimental albums; THEMES FROM WILLIAM BLAKE’S THE MARRIAGE OF HEAVEN AND HELL , The Assassination of Julius Caesar, Wars of the Roses, Blood Inside and Shadows of the Sun. Check them out at: Ulver
These songs/music help me step back and detach, or at times just drag me right into their maw. I hope you enjoy the journey when you dive into them, and I would love to hear about your inspirational music.
FYI: I was listening to Bruce’s Devils and Dust album while penning this post 🙂
“It’s by writing… by stepping back a bit from the real thing to look at it, that we are most present.”
Alison Bechdel on Writing, Therapy, Self-Doubt, and How the Messiness of Life Feeds the Creative Conscience
mikesnexus 