I Want to Hold Your Hand

Fair warning, there are a couple things that are really bugging me right now and I have every intention of ranting about them. I was going to rant about them today but now they're going to wait because this morning I was reminded that 25 years ago today John Lennon was killed.

I remember it like yesterday (which is saying something because, while I remember yesterday fairly well Tuesday is already a blur). I was at home watching TV (not Monday Night Football), embroidering a Christmas gift for someone (I don't remember who and I also don't embroider anymore) when the forgettable program I had on was interrupted with the announcement that "someone reported to be John Lennon was taken to the hospital after having been shot in front of his New York apartment". The information was vague and I thought surely it wasn't true. We don't shoot rock stars in America. But only minutes later another bulletin came on, confirming that Lennon had not only been shot but was DOA at the hospital.

I was depressed for weeks. I never finished the embroidery project. I still have the Rolling Stone magazine that came out days later, full of Annie Leibowitz photos of John and Yoko, taken in the last days of his life. The issue was supposed to be about the second musical coming of John, how after 5 years as a househusband he and Yoko were about to release "Double Fantasy". It turned out instead to be a memorial issue. I cried and cried and cried.

So in honor of John I'm going to keep my rants to myself for one more day and instead share with you my favorite of his poems:

I Sat Belonely

I sat belonely down a tree,
humbled fat and small.
A little lady sing to me
I couldn't see at all.

I'm looking up and at the sky,
to find such wondrous voice.
Puzzly puzzle, wonder why,
I hear but have no choice.

'Speak up, come forth, you ravel me',
I potty menthol shout.
'I know you hiddy by this tree'.
But still she won't come out.

Such softly singing lulled me sleep,
an hour or two or so
I wakeny slow and took a peep
and still no lady show.

Then suddy on a little twig
I thought I see a sight,
A tiny little tiny pig,
that sing with all it's might.

'I thought you were a lady'.
I giggle, - well I may,
To my surprise the lady
got up - and flew away.

- John Lennon

Give peace a chance.