A few years ago, I had gone to Georgia and laid down on a giant trampoline, my friend and I…the sun was so warm and there was quite a bit that was going to take place in the coming few days. Musicians from all over the world, would be gathering for a weekend of performances, food, laughter and campfire jams.

Late at night, a handful of us had gathered around a campfire with various colored guitars and went around in a circle, playing with each other, listening to each other, and I had heard someone singing Hallelujah. I had heard it a couple times before, but for some reason, it really had an impact on me. Perhaps it was the moonshine, or maybe the full moon, but my ears were absorbing every sound, every breath, every  note.

Recently…I had spent the weekend with a girlfriend not too far away. We cooked, laughed, told stories, played guitar and just did the silly things we often do when we get together.  On the last day I spent with her, I took out her little trampoline and jumped up and down on it, wishing I could back flip in her modest apartment, and I plopped down on it, just laying there, immediately being taken back to Georgia, back down on the trampoline, looking at a beautiful blue sky.

Last night, I was flipping through channels on the television, and a Rufus Wainwright documentary came on.  I decided to watch a bit. I had been introduced to Rufus Wainwright’s music when I watched a film called “I’m Your Man” it was about Leonard Cohen, who is the writer of the song ‘Hallelujah’ a song I’ve decided to learn, after my trip to Georgia.

That night as I went to bed, I had a series of dreams…I was in a room with a friend of mine, the one who I had heard singing Hallelujah around the campfire in Georgia.
I woke up.
Fell back asleep and continued with the same dream.
My friend had brought his guitar, we were going to jam with some other musicians.

painting GA inspired

painting GA inspired

INTO THE FIRELIGHT…(the song that became of it all)

it was summer
we were sitting in the grass
playin our guitars
and getting high


i didn’t know you
i had never seen your face
you put some dirty flowers
in my hair

it was over
before the yellow sun
rose above the hill
we we had run……

away from a place we didn’t like
away from all the noise  C in the night
away from the music where we danced
into the firelight
where hallelujah took it’s flight
where everything made sense, for awhile

it was georgia
there were voices in my bed
there was magic in the fire
burnin’ red

it was southern
burning in my soul
bringing  up the spirit
Here  I  go….

into the firelight
where Hallelujah first took flight
spread it’s dirty wings across the sky
away from the bright daylight
bathed inside the moons full light
smiles covered with wind’s silent stare

bare as the branches get
minnesota had regrets
all the flowers started
to fade

naked as a midwest smile
no one i knew walked that mile
cold inside the sand
turning white………

back from a place I didn’t like
all the noises i’d left behind
back into the solo of my sound
into every  breath i take
every silence has a break
with Hallelujah stained inside my head