Poetry, Dylan, the chimes of freedom

POETRY WEDNESDAY;


CHIMES OF FREEDOM

 Words, Music and paintings by Bob Dylan 
recorded 1964 Warner Bros. Inc

Far between sundown's finish an' midnight's broken toll
We ducked inside the doorway, thunder crashing
As majestic bells of bolts struck shadows in the sounds
Seeming to be the chimes of freedom flashing
Flashing for the warriors whose strength is not to fight
Flashing for the refugees on the unarmed road of flight
An' for each an' ev'ry underdog soldier in the night
An' we gazed upon the chimes of freedom flashing.


In the city's melted furnace, unexpectedly we watched
With faces hidden while the walls were tightening
As the echo of the wedding bells before the blowin' rain
Dissolved into the bells of the lightning
Tolling for the rebel, tolling for the rake
Tolling for the luckless, the abandoned an' forsaked
Tolling for the outcast, burnin' constantly at stake
An' we gazed upon the chimes of freedom flashing.

Through the mad mystic hammering of the wild ripping hail
The sky cracked its poems in naked wonder
That the clinging of the church bells blew far into the breeze
Leaving only bells of lightning and its thunder
Striking for the gentle, striking for the kind
Striking for the guardians and protectors of the mind
An' the unpawned painter behind beyond his rightful time
An' we gazed upon the chimes of freedom flashing.


Through the wild cathedral evening the rain unraveled tales
For the disrobed faceless forms of no position
Tolling for the tongues with no place to bring their thoughts
All down in taken-for-granted situations
Tolling for the deaf an' blind, tolling for the mute
Tolling for the mistreated, mateless mother, the mistitled prostitute
For the misdemeanor outlaw, chased an' cheated by pursuit
An' we gazed upon the chimes of freedom flashing.

Even though a cloud's white curtain in a far-off corner flashed
An' the hypnotic splattered mist was slowly lifting
Electric light still struck like arrows, fired but for the ones
Condemned to drift or else be kept from drifting
Tolling for the searching ones, on their speechless, seeking trail
For the lonesome-hearted lovers with too personal a tale
An' for each unharmful, gentle soul misplaced inside a jail
An' we gazed upon the chimes of freedom flashing.

Starry-eyed an' laughing as I recall when we were caught
Trapped by no track of hours for they hanged suspended
As we listened one last time an' we watched with one last look
Spellbound an' swallowed 'til the tolling ended
Tolling for the aching ones whose wounds cannot be nursed
For the countless confused, accused, misused, strung-out ones an' worse
An' for every hung-up person in the whole wide universe
An' we gazed upon the chimes of freedom flashing

delete reply skeezicks1957 wrote on Feb 9, '09 Sucks in my breath and touches my hand to my heart. Thank you for this post.

delete reply sweetpotatoqueen wrote on Feb 4, '09 Dylan has such meaningful lyrics that are timeless and especially meaningful in this current time in our country. I didn't realize Dylan was also and artist....I like his work very much. A visual and acoustic delight here! Thank you!

edit delete reply forgetmenot525 wrote on Feb 4, '09 asolotraveler said man that takes me back... love all versions yep................me too...............thanks for passing through.

delete reply asolotraveler wrote on Feb 4, '09 man that takes me back... love all versions

delete reply acousticeagle wrote on Feb 4, '09 Poetry to music, worth meditating on.

delete reply hedgewitch9 wrote on Feb 4, '09 Just fabulous!

delete reply djdx wrote on Feb 4, '09 May we all chime in to make this freedom a reality.

delete reply starfishred wrote on Feb 3, '09 Wow loretta this is just so well done you are convincing me about his work thanks thanks-

delete reply bennett1 wrote on Feb 3, '09 His artistry takes my breath away.

delete reply veryfrank wrote on Feb 3, '09 Very well done Loretta. Thank you for including the art work.

delete reply pestep55 wrote on Feb 3, '09 The is a fabulous post /:-) Enjoyed every bit!

delete reply lauritasita wrote on Feb 3, '09 Loretta, this has got to be your best post for anything ever ! I love how you displayed his art work around this wonderful classic song. You done such a wonderful job here. Thanks so much.