Last Night I Had a Dream
Good Day, Poets. Today I would like to use this video by John Denver as inspiration. The first half of the video shows John Denver reciting "The Peace Poem" which you can read below if you wish. The second half of the video features him singing "Last Night I Had the Strangest Dream," a song which was sung by lots of artists in its day, including Simon and Garfunkel, Joan Baez, Johnny Cash, and others.
Here are the words of "The Peace Poem." I believe John wrote it!
There's a name for war and killing
And there's a name for giving in when you know another answer
And for me the name is sin
But there's still time to turn around and make all hatred cease
And give another name to living, and we could call it "Peace"
And peace would be the road we walk, each step along the way
And peace would be the way we work and peace the way we play
And in all we see that's different and in all the things we know
Peace would be the way we look and peace the way we grow
There's a name for separation
There's a name for first and last
When it's all for us or nothing
And for me the name is past
But there's still time to turn around and make all hatred cease
And give a name to all the future, and we could call it "Peace"
And if peace is what we pray for
And if peace is what we give
Then peace will be the way we are
And peace the way we live
Well, there still is the time to turn around
And make all hatred cease
Let give another name to living
And we can call it "Peace"
John Denver died in a plane crash in 1997. He was the pilot, and the cause of the crash was pilot error.
What I would ask you to do this week is find inspiration in either half of the video -- the "peace" part or the "dream" part. Or both! For example you could write a poem about peace....or you could write a poem about a dream which either has something to do with peace or perhaps a dream that has NOTHING to do with peace at all. Just a dream. Or perhaps YOUR strangest dream...again not necessarily peace related.
I find it interesting that some of these old songs become relevant again with the passing of time. I enjoyed listening to this one again and hope you find it inspiring.
After you write your poem, please link it below. We always like to see your comments as well. The prompt will be open until Sunday night - 8 pm. Eastern time. Looking forward to reading your writings.
