After tweeting something or the other about my love of music the other day, a friend asked me why I never write any song lyrics. I replied, quite stupidly, that it’s because I’m no good at rhyming or melodies. She told me, quite rightly, that songs don’t have to rhyme and I don’t have to come up with the melodies. So I started thinking about what I could write a song about.
But, while juggling rewrites, continuous additions to books three/four (still haven’t decided which I’ll dedicate myself to first) and the occasional blog post, I was coming up with blanks for a song. I looked back at stuff I’ve written in the past in search of a piece that someone more musically talented than me might be able to turn into a song.
Before I formally challenge anyone reading this to try to add a melody to the following unstructured poem, I’d like to update on my plans to have a live chat session with my dear readers. Update: I still plan on having a live chat session. I’m sorting through some suggested sites and trying to improve my e-literacy before choosing a time and a place for it. Keep the suggestions for hosts/times coming!
And now, I challenge you, or someone you know, to turn the following words into lyrics. Add some guitar chords or some piano keys or a few gentle notes from a harmonica. Go a capella. Do whatever you want, just make it songy. If you do decide to take the challenge, please share your work with me. I’d love to see what people can come up with. This may be a good time to offer a free copy of Somewhere Over the Sun as an incentive as well. Enjoy!
i fell asleep beneath your blanket
i hadn’t felt its warmth since you caused it
i couldn’t separate you and me from us
though so much has
since this blanket last slept
the past lives here
in smells this blanket no longer carries
in the just now
afterthought
of soft, hurried kisses
which i couldn’t keep to myself
no matter the hour
this blanket
no matter how inanimate we are
no matter how un-alive it is
breathes you into me.
