“A Change Is Gonna Come” — written and sung by Sam Cooke. Released in 1964, Cooke was a major voice erupting from the Civil Rights Movement that could no longer be ignored. His voice, unflinching and deeply soulful; acts prophetically in this song. Truly inscribing in stone, “A Change Is Gonna Come.”
Cooke was born into systematic segregation. Separate but equal laws were intact and designed to fail him. In a country that rejected him, among a majority of people who failed to see him as a man, he stood.
He spoke for himself, for his family and for generations of those who had their human rights violently and wholly abused. The words he spoke are saintly. His voice, spiritually moving, full of hope. The background symphony being conducted blends in until you can only here Cooke rising above all, Cooke knew it was time for change. With this song, he let everyone else know.
Quote by Bob Dylan — “I was born very far from where I'm supposed to be, and so I'm on my way home.” This quote stirs up thoughts regarding who, when and where home is.
We’re born, the beginning, our start. Through living, in our distinctly different ways, we’re all going somewhere. I don’t think this quote is saying that we’re necessarily born in the wrong place; I believe it’s simply referring to life as a journey, with birth being the starting point.
“Home,” to me, acts as a metaphor for death. Although we often don’t think about it this way, death is always the end of our time on earth. In most other journeys we take while living, the end is the result, the prize, the accomplishment. Additionally, we don’t usually think about death as a prize and for me at least, I think that’s completely due to being insecure about what comes with it. Death isn’t concrete and so I can’t inspect my prize.
This quote implores me to look past my insecurity, to get over myself. To think about death as home. To fully recognize it as certain. Through living, I and all of us are getting ever closer. We’re all genuinely on our way home.
“Love Comes Quietly” — poem by Robert Creeley, published in 1962. To me, “Love Comes Quietly” is a divine poem. I’ve read it many times and I want to share some substance I’ve found.
The reminder that love carries no rules and it truly doesn’t fret over ours. A repeated hint that one should stop pushing love away for fear of conforming to it.
We all need love, it’s not useful to pretend otherwise. Creeley’s poem is a signal. We should be open and natural in our craving for love and the comfort we find in it.
It is a piece of art, one that has healed me. I believe that when both read and duly thought through, the poem will provide a therapeutic touch to you as well. But certainly, don’t take my word for it. Read it yourself!
David Lynch // "I’m a regular person. I do regular things."
