Mystical Monday: Saint Francis connects me to Joni Mitchell

Translations by Daniel Ladinsky

WILD FORCES

There are beautiful wild forces within us.

Let them turn the mills inside

and fill

sacks

that feed even

heaven.

St. Francis of Assisi

I am enjoying the evening ventures into the love poems sent from God through St Francis.  As a Pennsylvania German I was not trained in running wild with forces that reside within me.  There have been moments though.  

And in my studio when a new design emerges, does God feed on the bread of life.  If this is the case, I am a happy man.

May your forces find outlets so we can turn giant stones that grind our talents, not into dust, but into flour.

peace and hope

and what come to my mind as I sit here, this Joni Mitchell tune, not heard in years, which may have planted a seed or two:

Wild Things Run Fast

by Joni Mitchell

He came
She smiled
She thought she had him tamed
But he was just as wild
Eating from her hand at last
Wild things run fast

In the dark
He could see
The trap that was lying in her
Sweet company
Eating from her hand at last
Wild things run fast

Winter beat the pines about
He heard the heater
Cutting in and out
While she dreamed away

In the night
It snowed
Fast tracks in the powder white
Leading out to the road
Winding from her tender grasp
Wild things run fast
Wild things run fast
Wild things run fast

What makes you run?
Wild thing
I thought you loved me

Joni Mitchell's Standards... Jazz on Tuesday

When Mosaic Woman and I walk into the Doylestown library together, I head straight to the jazz CD's, books are second for me. One of the first CD's I took out of there was Wild For You by jazz singer Karrin Allyson, on which she covers two Joni Mitchell tunes. Since Joni may have been my earliest jazz memory/purchase, I was glad to see she was being covered on new jazz releases.

so here we go...

Fellow Canadian jazz pianist and vocalist, Diana Krall does this classic...





Dave Douglas comes through with this Joni tune...




That Mingus CD I mentioned last week, featured a pianist I had never heard of ... Herbie Hancock (at 70+ he is still a creative force). I thought I had blogged about his incredible tribute to Joni Mitchell, but I can't find it (anyone out there remember me doing such a thing???)

anyway, on that River CD, Tina Turner provides the guest vocals on one of my favorite tunes of those days in my parent's basement, back when I mellowed out to Joni ...




Do you have a favored Joni tune? ... leave a comment my friends