I wrote a song?! I did! Click to hear it! :) in Entries of Great Significance

So what writer doesn’t want to write a song?

Over the years, oh and by the way the answer was every writer does, I have been read by people and asked on quite a number of occasions if they could use a poem or something I wrote as a song for their band.

I always declined, because I don’t trust ‘em.

So, when an old friend and I reconnected recently, she told me about how much she loves to sing and that her husband and a couple friends get together and play guitars and jam out.

I knew she sang, but, well.. I wasn’t expecting her to ask if she would be allowed to take a poem of mine and sing it. Make a song of it. I said sure, why wouldn’t I like that?

I figure, well, she’s just going to sing the poem.

Nope.

Well, she did mostly at first. And since then we started collaborating. She started editing and arranging the song, and I offered my thoughts, and we revised and edited some more together.

Then last night she and her husband and friends got together to put the piece to completion. Only problem is the audio quality is terrible (not the music itself!) because they don’t have a great mic and aren’t recording as anything other than for fun.

However, it’s pretty good if you crank up the volume to hear Heather over the guitars, I must confess.

Oh, and as soon as I said yes to her, she in a couple hours had already sent me a copy of her singing one of my poems. I had no idea she’d already picked one out, but I must confess it is one of my favorites. And one of my best. Perhaps not the best for a song, but I’m not a singer nor musician so how would I know?

Anyway!

I’ll first copy over the poem we used as a basis for the song. Then I’ll copy over the lyrics and a version of Heather singing it solo then the rough cut with the instruments added..

Poem:

And sometimes the inspiration comes from the very depths of the soul..

“we are”

we are forever changing skylines
where our once shimmering sunlight
bends so violently beneath the darkness
the darkness of the night
we are making love to different hues
of royal blue, charcoal gray, and
the very ghost of our once fabled innocence
that delicate white flower love betrayed

we are swiftly fading starlights
oft burned by the cosmic elegance
that is seated in the very indifference
which keeps us brittle and so far from right
we are lethal drugs of different shades
of lavender heartbeats, undiscovered poetry,
and the temptations of white satin lace
that tears our future from the notebook
page after page

we are weather worn smiles
and engaging debates
we are devastated memories
with scars that remain
we are winter blown kisses
and the howl of the wind
we are imperfect angels
with crooked halos
we are stars that rebuild

we are phrases that linger
and stand out on the page
we are moonbeams repenting
for stealing the stage
we are heartbreaks and happiness
and yet so much less
we are the masks that embody us
yet they do not protect
we are the shadow of bravery

and yet we love and we bleed
and we do it no less

we are the epicenter of emotions
and we are the core of change

we are everyday people
that dance in the rain

we are lightning and thunder
when it is dry and without cloud

we are lovers far from each other
and we are far too proud

© Brian Milici
April 18, 2006

Song:

”Far Too Proud”
by Brian Milici & Heather Skinner

We are weather worn smiles
And engaging debates
We are devastated memories
With scars that remain
We are winter blown kisses
And the howl of the wind
We are imperfect angels
With crooked halos
We are stars that rebuild

Yet we love and we bleed
And we do it no less
We’re the core of emotions
We do not confess
We’re everyday people
That dance in our pain
We are lightning and thunder
Without all the rain
We are lovers far from each other
And we are far too proud

We are phrases that linger
Stand out on the page
We are moonbeams repenting
For stealing the stage
We are heartbeats and happiness
Yet so much less
We’re the masks that embody
Yet do not protect
We are the shadow of bravery

Yet we love and we bleed
And we do it no less
We’re the core of emotions
We do not confess
We’re everyday people
That dance in our pain
We are lightning and thunder
Without all the rain
We are lovers far from each other
And we are far too proud

Tear out
All our indifference
Tear out
All of our pride
Let’s rewrite
All of our yesterdays
Page after page
After page after page

‘Cause we love and we bleed
And we do it no less
We’re the core of emotions
We do not confess
We’re everyday people
That dance in our pain
We are lightning and thunder
Without all the rain
We are lovers far from each other
And we are far too proud

We are far too proud

We are so damn proud

Acapella version by Heather:

Heather Skinner - “Far Too Proud” (Acapella)

Rough cut version (poor audio quality) by Heather and her husband and friend playing bass and guitar respectively..

Heather Skinner - “Far Too Proud” (Rough Cut)

All criticism and feedback is appreciated, adored, and welcomed!

P.S. Get ready for the Hurricane Katrina deluge, no pun intended.. she hit my beloved New Orleans 10 years ago this Saturday. I wrote “we are” actually after we returned to New Orleans following our exile to Texas cause of Hurricane Katrina. I already have Katrina Memorials Fatigue.. but I’ll post some thoughts and videos I find especially good soon regarding my own personal Hurricane Katrina displacement experience. It was.. the wild, wild west.. by the way, no one down here calls it Katrina. We all call it the storm. You don’t need to say much else, thankfully, cause I kinda like that name. :P

May you always find your smile!