for Bob Dylan
rain studded drive
rain studded drive
across these somber red pits North
across these somber red pits North
through back and forth lonely Winds untamed
through back and forth lonely Winds untamed
headin for a sudden skid upon this Sea of Promise,
headin for a sudden skid upon this Sea of Promise,
uncontrolled,
uncontrolled,
wild
wild
happens out here in the unfettered,
happens out here in the unfettered,
this town
this town
this forgotten miners resort
this forgotten miners resort
where bars and sailors line the streets,
where bars and sailors line the streets,
where barefoot girls in raincoats softly slip by
where barefoot girls in raincoats softly slip by
earnestly,
earnestly,
ephemerally
ephemerally
years past
years past
a Poet loomed from these Hibbing streets,
a Poet loomed from these Hibbing streets,
seeking more than what was here,
seeking more than what was here,
searching these shifting Winds
searching these shifting Winds
to plant his Shield,
to plant his Shield,
his feverish Scribblings
his feverish Scribblings
recorded on the run
recorded on the run
sung from
sung from
the heartstrings ,
the heartstrings ,
bootheels
bootheels
Dylan,
Dylan,
your birthtown echoes country Music ramblins
your birthtown echoes country Music ramblins
from corner drug stores to county iron pits,
from corner drug stores to county iron pits,
here,
here,
where your vast tree now waves in some solo-winged breeze
where your vast tree now waves in some solo-winged breeze
along this open trail,
along this open trail,
whippin in time
whippin in time
past these
past these
North
North
stoic borders
stoic borders
here,
here,
where those Holis Brown songs were born with you,
where those Holis Brown songs were born with you,
the future decisions of young searching America,
the future decisions of young searching America,
here,
here,
a hesitant hero was born into
a hesitant hero was born into
this lonely Monday morning town
this lonely Monday morning town
with its broken bus depots,
with its broken bus depots,
was born into its James Dean rebels
was born into its James Dean rebels
of lit cigarettes and worn bike tires
of lit cigarettes and worn bike tires
contemplatin the next ride out,
contemplatin the next ride out,
to get closer to the loneliness that prevails
to get closer to the loneliness that prevails
when a man walks straight down pine tree paths toward
when a man walks straight down pine tree paths toward
distant electric steel cities
distant electric steel cities
but for what?
but for what?
shouldn’t it all be here?
shouldn’t it all be here?
Dylan, sure you were born here,
Dylan, sure you were born here,
as well as within your very own America,
as well as within your very own America,
your own
your own
destiny
destiny
of birth
of birth
and parked stilly on your street,
and parked stilly on your street,
imagining
imagining
your mother over there
your mother over there
considerin her son
considerin her son
now so far removed from the hum of Hibbing streetlights,
now so far removed from the hum of Hibbing streetlights,
where she knits by an open misted window
where she knits by an open misted window
and with me,
and with me,
surely recalls your faded image
surely recalls your faded image
in the desolation rain outside
in the desolation rain outside
Hibbing, 7/9/73
Hibbing, 7/9/73