March 12, 2009

  • If I'm to die for a reason, let it be because I did not do enough.

    Why do we dream, Erin? I feel like I'm lying, sometimes.

    Well, John Henry was a little baby
    Sittin' on his daddy's knee
    He picked up a hammer and a little piece of steel
    And cried, "Hammer's gonna be death of me, Lord, Lord,
         Hammer's gonna be the death of me"

    Now, the captain, he said to John Henry,
    "I'm gonna bring that steam drill around
    I'm gonna bring that steam drill out on these tracks
    I'm gonna knock that steel on down, God, God,
         I'm gonna knock that steel on down"

    John Henry told his captain,
    "Lord, a man ain't nothin' but a man
    But, before I let that steam drill beat me down,
    I'm gonna die with a hammer in my hand, Lord, Lord,
         I'll die with a hammer in my hand"

    John Henry driving on the right side,
    That steam drill driving on the left
    Says, "'Fore I let your steam drill beat me down,
    I'm gonna hammer myself to death, Lord, Lord,
         I'll hammer my fool self to death"

    The captain said to John Henry,
    "I believe this mountain's sinking in"
    But John Henry said, "Captain, just you stand aside -
    It's nothin' but my hammer catching wind, Lord, Lord,
         It's nothing but my hammer catching wind"

    John Henry said to his shaker,
    "Shaker, why don't you sing?
    'Cause I'm swingin' thirty pounds from my hips on down

    If I miss, it's your burying day, Lord, Lord,
         Tomorrow'll be your burying day"

     

    The man that invented the steam drill,
    He figured he was mighty high and fine
    But John Henry sunk the steel down fourteen feet
    While the steam drill only made nine, Lord, Lord,
         The steam drill only made nine

    John Henry, he hammered in the mountains
    His hammer was striking fire
    But he worked so hard, it broke his heart
    John Henry laid down his hammer and died, Lord, Lord,
         John Henry laid down his hammer and died

    Well now, John Henry, he had him a woman
    By the name of Polly Ann
    She walked out to those tracks and picked up John Henry's hammer
    Polly drove steel like a man, Lord, Lord,
         Polly drove that steel like a man

    John Henry hammering on the mountain
    As the whistle blew for half past two
    The last word I heard him say,
    "Captain, I've hammered my insides in two, Lord, Lord,
         I've hammered my insides in two
    I say, I've hammered my insides in two, Lord, Lord,
         I've hammered my insides in two"

Comments (3)

  • why do we dream?
    I guess it's just a way we can illusion ourselves into imagining a better life for ourselves.  You know you're truly happy when you no longer need to dream, need it be at night or during the day.

    or is this a rhetorical question..?

  • @MeetMeInMontauk4 - No, it wasn't. But, I meant as Dreamers, why do we dream? I know you identify as one, hence why I ask.

  • you're right, I am.

    I guess I just enjoy dreaming of a better life for myself, or a lot of the time I think about a situation and how it could have gone differently, or how my future might unfold.

    I don't know why we dream, but I stand by what I said above.  I've been very happy with my life lately, and I've been dreaming a lot less because I don't need to right now.  I'm rather content with where I am.

    I think we write more beautifully when we're sad, though.  Maybe because it is a way of reflection and dealing with deep emotions, and I always thought it was a a way to release a part of myself in an attempt to let someone understand why I feel sad.

    Wait, does that make sense?

    Anywho, I really like reading what you write, Jon, so keep it up!

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