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Stories

by Michael C Kelly

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1.
Stories 03:36
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Nilo has the power to decide a person's life. Described to me a shopping list Of the things he bought one night. But I don't care. I don't care. Tell me how you got a life, or what you did to share, Or I don't care. Billy's brag and bluster can lead to a bloody fight, Or a round of whiskey drinking Watching Springer late at night. But I don't care. No, I don't care. Tell me how you got a life, or what you did to share, Or I don't care. JJ made the journeys to the reaches of the world, Uncovering mysteries in the cultures he unfurled. Hanna likes to hear him, be a fly upon his wall. Enthralled. In a place of bucks and loonies, they contrive the better deals, Where everything's transaction And nothing’s ever real. But I don't care. No, I don't care. Tell me how you got a life, or what you did to share, Or I don't care. Mickey's office gabbings are the whispers of a life, Partly for the ego and Partly for the strife. But I don't care. Wait, should I care? Tell me how you got a life, or what you did to share, Or should I care? Lennie tells the stories of his ancient sea-born days. Dale listens attentively through each and every wave. The tales they inspire, I can see it in their eyes. The wise.
2.
Peterson's Tree 04:34
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Verse 1: In the norite valley By the VLA* Lived a troop of retired soldiers At home in a shadow's sway For standing in the centre Stood a bristling tree Over looking the Whitson River, It stands in my memory Chorus: Karen and I, we would fly Swaying in that needled nest together Something in that towering tree Kept us thinking that we would live forever Verse 2: The pine was therapeutic A tower of respite We would play for hours and hours In the wonder of its might Somehow this gave us power In creative ways We had our dream of things to come And the tree seemed to point the way Verse 3: With lofty inspiration We'd watch a sulky race Or view the actions at the school Or the folks lining up to pray In this coniferous tower Nature did provide A view on life, a reason why Our own sage tree to advise Verse 4: Sitting in the Old Rock Just the other day Looking back to that emerald pine And our old Chelmsfordian ways It got me to wondering How the folks made out Guided by Peterson's tree Were we all able to sprout? * VLA = Veteran's Land Act
3.
Kandahar Bobby 03:04
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4.
The Cynic 03:06
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Verse 1: How can anybody ignore a baby Lying wounded in the middle of a road? How can anybody not tread softly When what they do affects the folks below? Chorus: I can see you coming Yes, I can see you coming Down main street Verse 2: How can anybody use your money Then call you to account for the overload? How can anybody promise you a heaven When they're building a hell in the land below? Chorus: I can see you coming Yes, I can see you coming Down main street Verse 3: How can anybody abuse a woman Then set her aside to carry the load? How can anybody scar a planet, When we all need to call it our home? Chorus: I can see you coming Yes, I can see you coming Down main street
5.
Moygara 05:06
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Dialogue 1: It's late and I'm afraid Sitting on this old man's grave Surely he must've been brave On the bawn of Moygara Hush now Caoimhe, hold your tongue There's so much that needs to be done And I can see how our day will be won Beyond the walls of Moygara Dialogue 2: While there's mission in your voice I fight here not by choice The cateran, they will rejoice Laying siege to Moygara Though we face a cattle lifter's fight, Sheela na gig will exert her might But you must vow to keep them in sight Protect our world, Moygara Dialogue 3: Look in front, they arrive And I wonder how we survive Brothers, sisters, all who now thrive To be undone at Moygara Caoimhe, we will surely win And be extolled by Coolavin And our lord will live with a grin Gazing 'or Moygara Post-dialogue 4: The winds they blew in from the west To where Caoimhe did her best But she and others were put to rest Outside the walls of Moygara The stones will rise through grassy turf Beyond that moment and its dearth But its future could not unearth A life at Moygara.
6.
A Million Reasons 03:03
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Verse 1: I could take me to a mountain I could fly me to a moon , I could think of a million reasons But I'd rather be here with you Verse 2: It's the safety in your presence The peace that's in your eyes The tingle of those giddy moments The lore that's in the wise Chorus: There were threats, toils and battles I've left them far behind And with the sun's warmth on my face I turn and there beside Friend Verse 3: I can't say I always saw you Or showed you proper grace But I could feel your real meaning It grounded me in my place Verse 4: Of course there are the thank yous My signs of gratitude But I just need for you to know I'll always be there with you Chorus: There were threats, toils and battles We've left them far behind And with the sun's warmth on our faces We turn and there beside Friend Verse 5: I could take me to a mountain I could fly me to a moon I could think of a million reasons But I'd rather be here with you
7.
Algorab 05:32
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Verse 1: [Asus2]A fog cloaks the Minkar, [F#mM7-5]her sails long rotted away [Asus2]Her mizzen off kilter, [F#mM7-5]her main torn clear from its stay [Asus2]In her abandon, [F#mM7-5]a warning encased in the drab [Asus2]The secret it holds, [F#mM7-5]the guard of the old Algorab Verse 2: Inside her were whispers, memories of metal and pain When 88 prisoners, sailed for a land of constraint Their lives were entrusted, their destination well within sight Ten miles off the shoreline, the skipper threw them clear from her side Chorus: [Am]How many died there [F]How many made it to shore [Am]You can hear their faint voices [F]Deep in Minkar's core Verse 3: Now Algorab sat there, perched on the ship’s broken spar Daring a traveller, come see the answer's not far Learn of their outcome, reap their story to share I bid you to visit, see what was theirs Verse 4: I think I can trust you. What can you do anyway? Then crossing the gangplank, our traveller made way To the bowels of the vessel, through each festering pore To the site of inscription, etched on the floor. Chorus: How many died there How many made it to shore You can hear their faint voices Deep in Minkar's core Verse 5: Straining to see it, in the ship's fast dimming light “Revenge is awaiting” the words came into sight "Whoever shall enter, prisoner surrender your soul." Just then the planks opened, water engulfing the floor. Verse 6: The traveller would perish, but before one last gulp of air The echoes of prisoners, this time with a warning to share “To trust is a gamble, to act a venture in fate Beware Algorab, or be duped at the gate Chorus: How many died there How many made it to shore You can hear one more voice Deep in Minkar's core
8.
Waves 04:29
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Verse 1: He pulled his bus out from the queue On his way to the Sault Two drunks and a lonely lady behind Hours later with a dormant load By the Serpent River road He'd pass the silver lady by Verse 2: At the spot, up ahead The traffic stopped, the bridge was dead Four hours of waiting they advised He slumped down in his despair He'd miss her face, her silver hair A sign to keep his soul alive Chorus: He said, "I drive by you each day I've come to know your wave It tells me how you feel inside I look forward to seeing you And after our wave is through You linger in my mind." Verse 3: In a moment he left the bus Hopped a rail, ploughed through the brush Walked the Serpent River side After about a click or two The silver lady now in his view She waved across a wet divide Verse 4: A passage, there were none They talked across an open run A water soundtrack to their lives She, her dreams of the one that's true He, a world with a caring clue Then returning to their drives Chorus: They said, "I'll wait for you each day And I'll look out for your wave To know how you feel inside I'll look forward to seeing you And after our wave is through You'll linger in my mind." Verse 5: The summer crest, the winter low Strolled along as the River flows Coaches at a roadside park nearby With the passengers on a break The pair made their brief escape Growing closer as the day's went by - Interlude - Verse 6: Then one day in the evening sun As he looked for his special one At the bridge, it caught his eye The bus passed, rolling through The driver, well, he was new He had no indication why Verse 7: Later at the Sault depot They pointed to a sealed note Said it was left for him to find He hoped to keep her in his care He longed to stroke her silver hair He dreaded what he'd find inside Chorus: It said, "I won't drive by you each day I have to go away How you must feel inside Remember the times we'd spend Then I'll feel your wave again You're always in mind."
9.
Peace Instead 04:08
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Verse 1: A tree in Santiago Gives sway in a Cuban sun To shade the memory of a corporal It was here his wars begun Verse 2: There was one to end all others By Christmas they all said Our corporal made it home from it But this time he bled Chorus: I, I know it’s been said I, I want peace instead Verse 3: And a private did his training Marched across a prairie flat By the time he got to Normandy Well, he was late for that Verse 4: His anger transferred easily To the tyrants and their slaves And while he raised his family It fed a rage Chorus: Verse 5: A civvie sits in wonder At the way the world behaves Contending leaders point at peace As he counts the graves Verse 6: Their war’s are empty industries Of the bullet and the blade With a fallen soldier at the front And the rest mislaid Chorus: Verse 7: It’s easy to be angry Makes everybody sad But when I see your signs of peace Well, you make me glad
10.
Finny 04:50
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Finny by Michael C Kelly, 2014 Verse: Coats don't glisten in the darkness. Eyes don't shine without a light. That’s why the days are for wondering And with my master I'll take flight ... cause, Chorus: I know, that it's in my soul To leave that white couch behind And I know, that beyond my doorway, I will never be confined Verse: Stepping off the back porch The yard is where I'll stake my claim Scattering squirrels, coons and possums They retreat, they know my fame Verse: And Cherry Beach has much to offer Tossing rocks at the water's edge Surrounded by yelling hounds and mongrels I chant my single pledge, Chorus: I know, that it's in my soul To leave that white couch behind And I know, that beyond my doorway I will never be confined Verse: Take a trip north for cool perspective Forest critters roam there free Far from the city noise and clatter Where jogs take on a reckless spree Verse: And when those dog runs are over To that white couch I will consign Sitting with my doting master In the worth of our home sublime Chorus: I know, that it's in my soul To leave that white couch behind And I know, that beyond our doorway I will never be confined

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A collection of songs and music influenced by places and events.

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released September 1, 2015

All songs written by Michael C Kelly

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Michael C Kelly Greater Sudbury, Ontario

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