^z 15th August 2023 at 8:08pm
Bob Dylan's 1974 song "Shelter from the Storm" speaks on many levels; it's a messy muddle of images and a razor-edged Zen koan and a group hug of all-that-was-and-will-be. The first three verses say it best:
| 'Twas in another lifetime, one of toil and blood When blackness was a virtue and the road was full of mud I came in from the wilderness, a creature void of form "Come in," she said, "I'll give you shelter from the storm" And if I pass this way again, you can rest assured I'll always do my best for her, on that I give my word In a world of steel-eyed death, and men who are fighting to be warm "Come in," she said, "I'll give you shelter from the storm" Not a word was spoke between us, there was little risk involved Everything up to that point had been left unresolved Try imagining a place where it's always safe and warm "Come in," she said, "I'll give you shelter from the storm" ... |
... yes, and to delaminate a few transcendent phrases of that:
- meta-mindfulness — "blackness" ... "void of form" ... "death" ...
- open-nonattachment — "not a word" ... "unresolved" ... "imagining" ...
- love-oneness — "shelter" ... "best" ... "safe" ... "warm" ...
(cf My Generation (2001-10-02), Lyric Notes (2002-03-29), Street Songs (2003-12-29), Southern Cross (2005-07-28), Mystery Religion (2005-02-08), Sound of Bangles (2005-08-24), John Darnielle (2006-09-24), If You Say 'Run' (2010-05-14), Nothing But Faith in Nothing (2014-09-07), Story of My Life (2016-03-04), Mantra - Things Can Only Get Better (2016-09-11), Stand by You (2017-01-11), Heroes (We Could Be) (2018-01-25), In Your Eyes (2018-08-04), ...) - ^z - 2019-02-20