MONDAY

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rod & Sunny: Photo by Bob Gentry 8/5/1999

A Thought for Today

Sorrow is proof of life.

 

.ASK ROD

A few more letters, a few more answers as I head off for a week in the studio and three performances at the week’s end.

SOMETIMES

Help! In 1972 a friend copied a poem for me and attributed it to you.... I believe "sometimes" was in the title. Part of it was: " sometimes I turn a corner, or see a face to follow after, and everything will be all right again, sometimes" another part: the beating of a heart can stifle every other sound..."

I have searched high and low for this particular verse as it was so telling of who I was then and who I grew to be. Please help me get a copy I could use those words of wisdom again. Thank you, Nanci Beck.


Dear Nanci: You can get the words to "Sometimes" by going to Archives at the bottom of this page and bringing up The Flight Plan for 4 September, 2001. Thanks for asking. Cheers, Rod

THE CAROLS OF CHRISTMAS

I need the words/music for the Carols of Christmas . . . want to do it for my voice class project. JJ Denny

Dear JJ: They are contained in the song folio The Carols of Christmas & are available from Stanyan By Mail. Best Regards, Rod

THE FEELING IS MUTUAL

Hi: I just wanted you to know that years ago I was such a fan of yours and it was such a happy time in my life. My ex-husband was actually jealous of you and therefore called you "sneaker head" to make me angry. I was always coming to your defense.

I recently was visiting my sister Bunny with a friend and she
was playing one of your CD's and my friend said "is that Rod McKuen?" and I said , "how do you know my Rod?" and we laughed because that's how you make people feel, so personal and intimate with your work. On my return to my apt. I pulled out your books (of which I have 8) and started reading. You are bringing me such newfound peace & joy, of which I thought I had lost. I have now ordered some of your CD's and additional books and want to thank you.

I have 6 sisters who are all fans and live all over the country and I am planning a Rod McKuen weekend or day and we will reminisce and read from your books and listen to your CD's. You are a very special man and have brought me and my family great peace in this crazy world we live in. I would love to hear from you and would cherish a personal e-mail. Take care. Sincerely, Julie

Dear Julie, Thanks for your kind letter. It made me realize how often, over the years, I've neglected to write letters of appreciation to those people who have affected me with their work. You can only imagine how much it means to me to hear from those who read and like what I do.

I hope you and your sisters realize that your family alone could keep me afloat. While you’re having a McKuen day I’ll have a Julie day and reread your letter. I hope my writing will continue to please you. Warmly, Rod AKA “sneakerhead”

PS: You neglected to tell me if there were seven brothers for the like number of brides in your family.

MORE QUICK NOTES

Thanks for the inspiration over the years! Virg Geary

Dear Virg: Back at you. Thanks for being with me all these years. Warmly, Rod

^^^^^

Rod, I was just wondering if you have any east coast tour dates. Would really like to hear and see you in person. David Casabonne.

Dear David: What do you consider East?

On Saturday Evening, November 16th I’ll be at McAninch Arts Center, College of DuPage, Glen Ellyn, Illinois. Then on April 30, 2003 I’ll be celebrating the 30th Anniversary of my 40th Birthday Concert at New York’s Carnegie Hall.

I hope to see you at one of these evenings. Cheers, Rod

^^^^^

Dear Rod, Just wanted you to know how happy I was to find your web page! You touched me when as a very young teenage soul I memorized by heart much of your work. Life somehow intervened and I went about it not keeping up with your performances or newly published works. But in truth, your words never left me and those words that I was too young yet to understand, somehow grew into a ‘knowing’ as I became older. Sometimes a painful knowing, more often than not a joyous one.

Thank you for your web site and your willingness to share your talent. Robin McKillop


Dear Robin: I appreciate your letter very much and I'm glad you locked on to A Safe Place to Land. It seems no day goes by that I don't hear from someone who's just discovered my web site.

Hard to believe but at the end of April all of us that work on ASPTL will be starting our 6th year of life in Cyber Space. As you must know letters like yours make it all worthwhile.

I'm here for you. Warmly, Rod

^^^^^

Hi Rod, I was creating a database of all my books and came across my collection of your books that I had purchased in the early 70's and it made me wonder about you today so I went online to find you and I was glad it was quite easy.

Just wanted to say Hi and tell you I'm glad you're still writing and performing.

Hope I can catch one of your performances soon. Love, Susan Brockway


Dear Susan, Thanks for the nice thoughts. I hope you'll drop by A Safe Place to Land often to catch the daily Flight Plan. It changes every day.

When performances are set they are always announced on my Website first. Affectionately, Rod

^^^^^

Simply put you've been making love to my mind for years...
and you've done a good job so many times in so many
places. Special thanks for your love of life. That's what life is for. Best Regards, Lynn Marie


Dear Lynn Marie, Thanks for your thoughtful words. All my best to you and I hope we'll both be around for quite a while longer to enjoy this best of all possible worlds. Warmly, Rod

Regular readers of the Flight Plan will no doubt despair of my answering the variations on this question the same way, but the query keeps coming and I figure one day some promoter may take the hint.

WHEN ARE YOU COMING TO DENVER

Rod, I am wondering if you have any plans to return to Denver for a concert? I didn’t get to see you last time you were here. That was so many years ago. There really aren’t very many concerts that I want to see before I leave this place, but yours is certainly one of them. Jan Meredith

Dear Jan, Over the years I've done a lot of concerts in and around Denver. And I always had a great time. All it takes is a Colorado promoter to sponsor a concert & I'll be there. Thanks for asking, Rod

SEATTLE

Dear Mr. McKuen, I was looking at your website the other day and was wondering about all of these trips to places like Illinois, but, what about the west coast? Do you know when you're next coming to the great NorthWest area? It would be really fun to see you in concert up here. Sincerely, Bridget

Dear Bridget: All it takes for me to do a concert in The Great Northwest is a local sponsor to book and promote the performance. Let’s keep our fingers crossed. Warmly, Rod

GREAT BRITAIN

Hi: I am a long-standing English fan of yours, but we are starved of your music, talents and shows over here. Are you planning to visit us in the UK ever again, please do soon.

In the meantime I will just have to keep playing my CDs of your music and poems.

All the best my dear friend, that's what you are to me through your music and poems. Erik Smith


Dear Rod: It has been so long since we last saw you over here, have you any plans to visit the UK? Kind regards, Rosemary Tillyer

Dear Eric & Rosemary: I’m a bit starved for the Mother Country myself. If I had my way our mutual famine would be over. From your lips to some English agency’s ears. The minute I'm asked I'll be there. Warmly, Rod


This promises to be one of my busiest weeks ever but I still plan to make time to vote tomorrow. I hope you remember to do the same and PLEASE, don’t forget to vote Yes on No. Or is that No on Yes? I can never quite remember. Sleep warm.

RM 11/3/2002 05:28 AM PST

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ROD McKUEN APPEARANCES

ROD McKUEN CONCERTS

notable birthdays Martin Balsam o Laura W. Bush o Art Carney o Sean “P. Diddy” Combs o Walter Cronkite o Daisy Eagan o Alexz Johnson o Anthony Kavana o Ralph Macchio o Matthew McConaughey o Felix Mendelssohn o Cameron Mitchell o Louise Nurding o Markie Post o Will Rogers o Arthur Schwartz o Loretta Swit o Pauline Trigere o Yanni o Gig Young
Rod's random thoughts Wisdom is the final meeting place of abstract thought.

Nothing is more beautiful than work completed.

A love that questions is not love.

THROUGH THE FIELD

I walked home through the field alone
looking at the row on row
             of dead cornstalks
                frightened by the frost
arrested by the first long breath of autumn.
And I felt a little older
                 but without new knowledge.
Passing through the now past summer
                     I’ve learned nothing.

True, I’ve memorized your thighs
your burnt brown breasts
                your eyes, your eyes
but you were busy memorizing
                          other people’s hands
the kindness of their summer crotches
the sounding of their sighs
so without attending your same school
you as pupil and as teacher too
I came into the autumn knowing nothing new.
                            Bend to me
this first long autumn night
       or let me bend to you.
Everything and nothing
           has passed between us
and tomorrow I’ll pass by again
through frosted fields
where even pumpkins
  now detach themselves
           from dead and dying vines.

Goodbye is not the word.
              Autumn says it all
for autumn detaches itself
first from summer, then winter,
autumn is the signpost for the leaving,
                        autumn says it all.

-from “Autumn / The Seasons” album, 1973 & “The 1975 Rod McKuen Animal Concern Calendar.

 
© 1973, 1975, 1999, 2002 by Stanyan Music Group & Rod McKuen. All Rights Reserved
Birthday research by Wade Alexander o Poetry from the collection of Jay Hagan o Coordinated by Melinda Smith o Sound & Fury Dr. Eric Yeager o Webmaster Ken Blackie
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