SummerTime Goes By

Summer time has always evoked in me ideas of wayward southern romances; The first kiss of a new love in a rose garden, midnight rendezvous with a handsome stranger on a sandy beach, long distance lovers meet on the train. That sort of thing. I’m not sure why the summer does this to me. I think the winter is for real love – someone to cuddle with and travel with and buy Christmas gifts for; fall is a prelude to this. And Spring, well spring is meant to rejuvenate yourself and prepare for summer – it can be spent alone or with someone else.

But Summer, summer means romance.

So, as the rain continued to fall on Lower Alabama, I listened (and maybe danced a little) to some of my favorite country summer songs – most about romance. Upon doing this, I was inspired. So, I wrote my own songs. Of course, the term ‘song’ here is a general one – it’s really more like poems since there is no music to them (though maybe you can conjure up a tune). Don’t be too critical, it’s my first time after all!

Enjoy!



Lost outside of Tucson

I was driving through the northern plains
wheat fields shining in the summer sun,
Thinking of nothing but that next photograph
And the pain I was leaving in Tucson.
The house came up just to my left
I could picture it behind the lens
the light, the color, the shadow
the weather vane turning in the wind.

Arizona was just too much for me
And the love I had before was gone,
The boy I turned to turned on me, and
I was hoping to get lost outside of Tucson.

The shutter snapped the pictures made,
I turned the lever to take one more,
was focused on the barn and skies
when he came walking out the door.
Summer sweat glistened on his skin,
I could tell he worked hard for a living.
And when he approached the car I thought,
that suddenly Tucson was more forgiving.

Arizona was just too much for me
And the love I had before was gone,
The boy I turned to turned on me, and
I was hoping to get lost outside of Tucson.

The summer rain came strong and sudden,
The needy earth soaked it in.
I watched it from his kitchen window
and laughed as he closed the curtain.
I turned my head as he came nearer
but his hands were as soft as his brown eyes.
Those calluses disappeared into the night
just like Tucson somewhere outside.

Arizona was just too much for me
And the love I had before was gone,
the boy I turned to turned on me, and
I got lost somewhere outside of Tucson.





Remember the Summer

I still see you
From time to time
When my dreams are clear
And you run through my mind
That county fair
On the carnival ride
When you whispered to me
And held me tight

Do you remember
That hot summer night
After the fireworks
Our first taste of wine?
We sat on mama’s porch
Swayed on the swing
You reached in to kiss me
As the lightning bugs blinked

Oh, bittersweet.

Down by the ocean
we watched the waves
tumble in the moonlight
after the love we made.
But like sand in an hourglass
Our time slipped away
You moved on to better things
And, what else can I say?

I still go back
To that same old place
Where you told me you loved me
And I look for your face.

Just in case.





Chorus to a song I haven’t written verses to:

Baby don’t you hear me?
Cant you see I’m talkin?
Why is it that you cant stay?
‘Cause darling when it’s over
And you say I was cold, I
Don’t want you to remember me this way.
It just isn’t fair
All this fighting isn’t right
Cant there be another way?
Open up your eyes and
See the big surprise
It’s you that’s throwing all this love away.