January 20, 2008
Tour’s in full swing.
No clue where we are.
One city, another
All look the same.
Inside.
Days pick up a rhythm
Bus moves with one
Rhythm drives you up the ladder
Takes you back down
Across the stage.
No clue what the sun looks like
Or if there’s snow on the ground.
Who cares?
Days move with a rhythm.
Set up
Show
Tear down
Hit the road.
This is when a roadie learns
What’s in his blood.
If the road is there or not.
If his blood moves
With
The rhythm of the road.
Don’t forget to take a ride on the Poetry Train! Grab yourself a car while you’re at it, too. The only rule is that there are no rules, so join in, why don’tcha?
julia
January 20, 2008 9:17 pm
I LOVE the Roadie Poet, Susan! I can relate to this as a former theatre employee – whether it was sunny or snowy, that didn’t matter. The world started in the evening anyway, and my world was inside.BR/BR/’This is when a roadie learnsBR/What’s in his blood.BR/If the road is there or not.BR/If his blood movesBR/With BR/The rhythm of the road.’BR/BR/Love that!
Susan Helene Gottfried
January 20, 2008 9:18 pm
Ooh, thanks, Julia! I’m glad you dig him. I get a kick out of writing him; he makes me think of a friend of mine.
bunnygirl
January 20, 2008 11:17 pm
Ah, I like Roadie Poet! Usually seeing a poetry reference of any kind is enough to make me move on to the next feed on my Bloglines, but I always stop to read Roadie Poet! BR/BR/I think what I like is the total lack of pretension. No attempt to be literary or deeply meaningful, and as a result some really neat things end up shining through.BR/BR/Go, Roadie Poet!
Missy
January 21, 2008 1:09 am
Well done! It’s true that it takes a certain type of person to live on the road. You either like it or you don’t.
Joy Renee
January 21, 2008 5:02 am
i can almost feel the wheels turning.BR/BR/i love rhythm but i doubt very much the roadie life would suit me.BR/BR/speaking of rhythm… how old is too old to learn to play the drums? i checked out a DVD on learning the drums as research for my NaNo novel because one of the characters plays them and rhythm, beat and time are strong metaphors in the story. Anyway the idea of playing drums is waking up that eleven year old me about to start band classes whose first choice was drums but was told by both parents and teacher that drums were for boys.
gautami tripathy
January 21, 2008 7:48 am
it has a rhythm. infact this reads like a song..BR/BR/good to read poetry from you..
Megan
January 21, 2008 9:40 am
Despite my general lack of love or even passing interest in poetry, I do pause to read Roadie Poet from time to time, and I have to say that I love, Ilove/I the last verse of this one. Awesome!
Red Garnier
January 21, 2008 10:14 am
Susan what a kick-arse poem, love it. :)BR/BR/This . . . OOH, MY FAVE!BR/BR/’This is when a roadie learnsBR/What’s in his blood.BR/If the road is there or not.BR/If his blood movesBR/With BR/The rhythm of the road.’
Susan Helene Gottfried
January 21, 2008 11:56 am
You’re NEVER too old to learn, Joy Renee.
Jill
January 21, 2008 12:04 pm
It seems like you are a roadie, dear!BR/I really like the funny but true vibe in this one!BR/And you can tell Trevor I tag him!
Sparky Duck
January 21, 2008 12:13 pm
smacks of Jackson Browne, which is a good thing
Holly Kennedy
January 21, 2008 12:57 pm
This really does read BR/like a song! Nicely done.
FRIGGA
January 21, 2008 2:41 pm
Nope, I could never be a roadie!BR/BR/Happy Monday 🙂
Susan Helene Gottfried
January 21, 2008 5:41 pm
It’s not for everyone; it’s a tougher life than most people imagine.
Amy Ruttan
January 21, 2008 6:27 pm
I love Roadie Poet. I love the lines how his blood is connected to the rhythm of the road. Great visual, and feeling. I love road trips, love travelling by car. I get that wanderlust, that movement.BR/BR/Very cool.
mariacristina
January 21, 2008 6:53 pm
You establish a rhythm with the words that reflect the repetetive life of packing up and heading out over and over again.
Kilroy_60
January 22, 2008 6:22 am
The rhythm of the roadBR/is something I knowBR/Truth be toldBR/there’s no better way to goBR/I suspect that will be trueBR/until I get too oldBR/to be boldBR/BR/8-)BR/BR/Thanks much for your help promoting SOUP TO NUTS progressive dinner carnival. You’re linked A HREF=”http://kilroythegonzopapers.blogspot.com/2008/01/do-i-owe-you-email-or-link.html” REL=”nofollow”here/A.BR/BR/Keep me in mind for a link exchange, ehBR/…in the spirit of blog carnival benefitsBR/BR/Cheers!
lissa
January 22, 2008 6:22 pm
you’ve captured the feeling wellBR/BR/thanks for your kind words and yes I do believe I am given the proper medicine. thank you for the visit.
paisley
January 22, 2008 10:54 pm
oh i really liked this… i just finished reading,, nikki sixx’s heroin diaries, slash’s autobiography and the dirt the ensemble biography of motley crue… so i am very in the “roadie” mood… this was wonderful…..
Susan Helene Gottfried
January 22, 2008 10:57 pm
I’ve yet to get my hands on Slash.BR/BR/Err, his autobiography, that is. I’m married! (and he’s not my type anyway, especially after reading about his antics in The Heroin Diaries — wasn’t that book brilliant?)BR/BR/I loved The Dirt, too. I read it years ago, when it first came out.
Marcia (MeeAugraphie)
January 23, 2008 11:54 pm
Roadie Poet just knows how to get a point across. Never disappoints. I love the verse on “what’s in the blood”, too.
UL
February 22, 2008 11:21 pm
‘rhythm of the road’, loved how you said it…truly a beauty, this poem here.
gautami tripathy
February 23, 2008 10:38 am
Good to re-read it!BR/BR/Thanks Susan.
anthonynorth
February 23, 2008 10:53 am
As a former lead guitarist in a local rock band, I was there.BR/Ah, memories!
Inconsequential
February 23, 2008 11:35 am
cool.
paisley
February 23, 2008 11:48 am
i have always loved the passion i feel out there on the road,, going some where and not looking back… but there does come a time,, when home sounds better than anyplace else….
Chefdruck
February 23, 2008 2:59 pm
Great poem. I love the rhythm. And I love the power of the line “Inside”.
Lilibeth
February 23, 2008 3:02 pm
This is soooo not the life for me. My blood doesn’t ever move with the rhythm of the road…but sometimes my stomach does. Ha ha. Good poem though. I enjoy it like “The Road Goes Ever On and On.” It makes me wistful and I long for distant places.
Cricket's Hearth
February 23, 2008 11:42 pm
What moves one is a mystery to others – isn’t life grand!
Cricket's Hearth
February 23, 2008 11:42 pm
What moves one is a mystery to others – isn’t life grand!
Cricket's Hearth
February 23, 2008 11:42 pm
What moves one is a mystery to others – isn’t life grand!
Linda Jacobs
February 24, 2008 12:29 pm
Love the word placement in this poem!
thetonguetiedmuse
February 24, 2008 3:07 pm
Great poem and portrayal of the life as a roadie. I’ve always wondered what it would be like to be one. I love to travel and hope one day to do it via the road instead of an airplane.
Alice Audrey
August 11, 2008 12:25 pm
Wonderful, Susan! I love Roadie Poet.