I just got a great album on tape by John Denver.

[Archae]

"Poems, Prayers and Promises."

To me, I consider it his best.

It includes this poem the Coward-In-Chief should have heard.

THE BOX

Once upon a time, in the land of Hush-A-Bye,
Around about the wondrous days of yore,
They came across a kind of box
Bound up with chains and locked with locks
And labeled "Kindly do not touch; it's war."

A decree was issued round about,and all with a flourish and a shout
And a gaily colored mascot tripping lightly on before.
Don't fiddle with this deadly box,
Or break the chains, or pick the locks.
And please don't ever play about with war.

The children understood. Children happen to be good
And they were just as good around the time of yore.
They didn't try to pick the locks
Or break into that deadly box.
They never tried to play about with war.

Mommies didn't either; sisters, aunts, grannies neither
'Cause they were quiet, and sweet, and pretty
In those wondrous days of yore.
Well, very much the same as now,
And not the ones to blame somehow
For opening up that deadly box of war.

But someone did. Someone battered in the lid
And spilled the insides out across the floor.
A kind of bouncy, bumpy ball made up of guns and flags
And all the tears, and horror, and death that comes with war.

It bounced right out and went bashing all about,
Bumping into everything in store.
And what was sad and most unfair
Was that it didn't really seem to care
Much who it bumped, or why, or what, or for.

It bumped the children mainly. And I'll tell you this quite plainly,
It bumps them every day and more, and more,
And leaves them dead, and burned, and dying
Thousands of them sick and crying.
'Cause when it bumps, it's really very sore.

Now there's a way to stop the ball. It isn't difficult at all.
All it takes is wisdom, and I'm absolutely sure
That we can get it back into the box,
And bind the chains, and lock the locks.
But no one seems to want to save the children anymore.

Well, that's the way it all appears, 'cause it's been bouncing round
for years and years
In spite of all the wisdom wizzed since those wondrous days of yore
And the time they came across the box,
Bound up with chains and locked with locks,
And labeled "Kindly do not touch; it's war."

by Lascelles Abercrombie
Recited by John Denver on his album "Poems, Prayers & Promises"

[Sydnie]

1. I haven't listened to that album in years

but you are right ... I think it was his best and that poem is dead on beautiful. It's a good album and we would be well advised to repeat that poem often.

Thanks for posting it.

[Archae]

2. My pleasure.

Too bad Smirky McCokespoon never heard it. :-(

[Gloria]

3. Heard a John Denver song on the radio last week....my immediate

thought was how refreshing it was to listen to a clear voice and a good spirit.

[BensMom]

4. I Missed John Denver

I missed John Denver his first round. I wouldn't be caught dead listening to someone my MOTHER liked.


Much later in life I was at a funeral. The background music was beautiful as we put the Viet Nam vet on a journey to his final peace.

The music was John Denver. Didn't get the name of the songs. This is probably something I need to check out. Archae, Thank You for the reminder.

[welshTerrier2]

5. heard 2 of his songs today

one was a live recording called "Me and My Uncle" ... believe it or not, it's kind of a haunting cowboy song ... don't get too many of those ...

the other one was a song Denver wrote that was performed by Neil Young ... it's called: Four Strong Winds ... a classic folk tune ...