one way

Ship twisting and turning into port this predawn Thursday morning. Maybe others also have noticed, life keeps going by, Time that is, and only goes in one direction. A shame, what if we could wake up any morning and decide to go either way, continue forward at earth’s pace — or go backward and instantly be wherever for the day: where to go, behave and carefully make my way back to go at day's end so as not to wake up tomorrow morning somewhere else and wonder how I got there. Ever enchanted with Frost’s road not taken and Harry Potter's time-turner.

On my computer desktop are some songs from whenever, not things to evoke sadness or the wistful, but a song from here and there. Songs from my life were understandable, Very fond of rumpots, crackpots, and how are you, Mr. Wilson? where songs from today have to be figured out. Either that or have another beer. 

Got some cloud shots at sea but this Joni Mitchell song is on my desktop for some reason. Living in 7H where -- after this pleasant cruise ends and one god-awful drive home, I expect to live again later today -- it’s easy to be a cloud person. Or a life person. Or a song person. No poet, I like the dreamy poetry of this song.

Both Sides, Now

by Joni Mitchell

Rows and floes of angel hair

And ice cream castles in the air

And feather canyons everywhere

I've looked at clouds that way

But now they only block the sun

They rain and snow on everyone

So many things I would have done

But clouds got in my way

I've looked at clouds from both sides now

From up and down, and still somehow

It's cloud illusions I recall

I really don't know clouds at all

Moons and Junes and Ferris wheels

The dizzy dancing way you feel

As every fairy tale comes real

I've looked at love that way

But now it's just another show

You leave 'em laughing when you go

And if you care, don't let them know

Don't give yourself away

I've looked at love from both sides now

From give and take, and still somehow

It's love's illusions I recall

I really don't know love at all

Tears and fears and feeling proud

To say "I love you" right out loud

Dreams and schemes and circus crowds

I've looked at life that way

But now old friends are acting strange

They shake their heads, they say I've changed

Well something's lost, but something's gained

In living every day

I've looked at life from both sides now 

From win and lose and still somehow 

It's life's illusions I recall

I really don't know life at all

I've looked at life from both sides now 

From up and down and still somehow

It's life's illusions I recall

I really don't know life at all

I remember the song, hearing it, 1967, Joni singing it. Made me melancholy fifty years ago, same now. Here’s a picture of Joni and Leonard, both Canadians. Our songs were better than yours. Still are.

DThos+

For anyone wondering, that's a 1966 Ford Thunderbird in the background under Joni's left arm.