Fade Away

She woke up that morning in a bit of stir

At first light, she just wasn’t quite sure

Deep inside, way down, her signals were mixed

But then she remembered, it was December 6th

Quietly slipping out, don’t wake the bunk mate

Hurry, hurry to get dressed don’t want to be late

Creep into the kitchen, granola, berries, fresh cream

It’s the dawn of a rock 'n' roll music dream

Half past twenty-one

Long auburn hair about down to her knees

Free flowing like her spirit

Her life’s journey blowing in the breeze

She donned the tapestry tunic and a leather belt

Bell bottom jeans embroidered and patched to the hilt

Her feet in the boots that she wore every day

Top it all off with the Pea Coat of dark blue and gray

Her pals were awake now but none wanted to go

Her resolve was complete, she’d do the gig solo

They just wanted to lay around and get stoned

But this was something that could not be postponed

One of them agreed to give her a ride

To take to the highway she would not be denied

On that overcast day without a hint of the sun

She stuck out her thumb to make her way up Highway 101

Standing by the edge of the road, the traffic was getting thick

Hitching a ride, this one or that one, just take your pick

Cars and trucks cruising along, most passing her by

Hop in when they stop, no need to give a reason why

Pretty soon she’s on the Five-Eight-O

Now there isn’t much further to go

No need to state her destination

For everyone is on the same migration

Stretching before her, the grass, wheat colored and vast

The sky has darkened now, with clouds at half-mast

There are foothills in the distance, buzzards circling overhead

She treks along trying not to imagine what it is that’s obviously dead

On she trudges across the North Cali field

All the while curious what the day will yield

The herds streaming in from all directions it seemed

As the crowd grew denser, the masses surged and teemed

Out of the atmospheric haze the stage appeared

A shrouded and spectral visage so totally weird

It looked out of place, alone, and so singular

A floating apparition up to the sky, perpendicular

While hefty swaths of cannabis laced the air

Something was off, peace and love were not there

She wandered about looking for a place to sit

She mused to herself no one offered her a hit

She found a spot not far off, with a capital view

Since she was alone it was quite easy to do

She settled in, eagerly awaiting the show to begin

More than a little put off by a noisy motorcycle gang

The first band came on and started their set

As the licks were laid down by the famous quintet

The music got louder and started to bloom

Still the crowd hunkered down in the ever-increasing gloom

On and on the bands came

Alive with fervor, playing a good game

Music resounding, electric waves of color

Yet even that did not abate the crowd’s pallor

You Got to Change your Evil Ways

Cause Sin City is getting old

And we all need Somebody to Love

Yelled the White Rabbit running by

Covering 3/5 of a Mile in 10 Seconds

Looking for his Plastic Fantastic Lover

So, you better Teach your Children Well

Or they will get on the Marrakesh Express

And be a Long Time Gone before you know it

Singing Songs with No Words

As darkness fell there was a sharp left turn

Uneasiness settled in like heartburn

It rippled through the crowd like an aftershock

Staying just beneath the surface, leaden, like a rock

All of a sudden, the air was alive with a different noise

As over the foothills a helicopter arose

Hovering over the stage it released a ladder

Down came the star of the night, Mick Jagger

“Pleased to meet you

Hope you guess my name

'Cause what's confusing you is just the

Nature of my game”

The black and red devil singing and dancing around

Then like an earthquake heaving up from the ground

Chaos erupted like a long dead volcano

Contained no more, the spirits were out of control

Darkness ushered in darkness

Drugs, bikers, a temper’s sharpness

Bodies clashing in a fight; metal flashing in the light

The Devil had no sympathy that night

Somehow, she made it back to San Rafael

She knew in the morning they’d all want the tale

She didn’t want to relive it, she just wanted to recover

She’d been front and center when bedlam took over

It was 1969, the end of a decade full of hope

At the time the significance was as unknown as its scope

With dawn barely roused, San Rafael she abandoned

Back on the 101 this time headed south; thumb jaunty angled

Reflectively gazing in time traveling mind bending retrospective

Looking down the tunnel five decades past provides unique perspective

On the hopes, dreams, follies and foibles of youth

Echoes of ancient times, the lies and the truths

The highways she took both the bumpy and smooth

This decade, the one she’s in now, is starting out to be quite uncouth

Please, will you pass the Vermouth?