Angels Strike up the Band

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Why the tears my dear friend?

Fear and trepidation

Spreading across the land

The future …

Emerging from a past

Of processed confusion

And confected division

Is coming down fast

Like a border incursion

Those good times

High on industrialized crimes

They just couldn’t last

As the die is finally cast

Is it too late to make a stand

In a world out of order

Where even the weather

All helter skelter

Is hitting the fan?

The once so high and mighty
They’ll be rocked
Down in the valley
Down amid the shifting sand
All creation getting ready
The Rock steady
As angels strike up the band

Look around my dear friend
Peace and safety
Nowhere to be found
Rocking every nation
The question begging
As angels strike up the band

Dry your eyes my dear friend
Let me take you by the hand
There’s a Universe a-sparkling
With galaxies a-swirling
All too beautiful
Too glorious to comprehend
How could a mere mortal
Ever hope to understand?
Creation is getting ready
The Rock steady
As angels strike up the band

And Jesus …
He’s my main man
He’s the keeper of the keys
He sets my mind at ease
In every dimension
The 360 degrees
Love divine
By grand design
If you please?
Freedom beyond
Whatever disease
Has brought you
To your knees
Heaven and Earth
At his command
From overture to ovation
All creation getting ready
The Rock steady
As angels strike up the band

Look around my dear friend
Jubilation in the land
Little children
Woman
Man
All part
And parcel
Of the Master’s plan
From a burst of stardust
An eternity so grand
With an open invitation
To all those who thirst
For a loving dose
of instant righteousness
in a flash of revelation
It’s just a matter of choice

Saints getting ready
The Rock steady
As angels strike up the band

~ by David B. Redpath © 2018-2023

(Inspired by the lyrics of Warren Zevon)

When you’re sad
and when you’re lonely
and you haven’t got a friend
Just remember
that death is not the end
And all that you’ve held sacred
falls down and does not mend
Just remember
that death is not the end

When you’re standing
on the crossroads
that you cannot comprehend
Just remember
that death is not the end
And all your dreams
have vanished and you
don’t know what’s up the bend
Just remember
that death is not the end

When the storm clouds
gather ’round you
and heavy rains descend
Just remember
that death is not the end
And there’s no one there
to comfort you
with a helpin’ hand to lend
Just remember
that death is not the end

The tree of life is growing
where the spirit never dies
And the bright light
of salvation shines
In dark and empty skies

When the cities are on fire
with the burning flesh of men
Just remember
that death is not the end

~ Bob Dylan

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Artwork;

‘Musical Angel’
~ by Rosso Fiorentino

‘St.Bride’ ~ by John Duncan

‘The Annunciation’
~ by Alessandro Allori

‘The Adoration of the Shepherds’
~ by Guido Reni

‘Madonna of the Magnificat’
~ by Alessandro Botticelli

‘Christ Healing the Blind Man’
~ by Sebastiano Ricci

‘Christ served by Angels’
~ by Jacques Stella

‘The Transformation’
~ by Lodovico Carracci

‘Pietà’ ~ by Pietro Perugino

‘The Agony in the Garden’
~ by Pietro Perugino

‘St. Michael Vanquishing Satan’
~ by Raphael

Photography:
David B. Redpath © 2018-2023

153 thoughts on “Angels Strike up the Band”

  1. Amazing artwork and words. I was a soldier for 15 years and I knew the combat soldiers. The oldtimers who drink the memories away. My father served in the Korean war and Vietnam. He drank himself to death. I tried and I was saved. A powerful and worthwhile work my friend.

    Liked by 5 people

    Reply

      1. It’s been exhilarating and my pleasure David.
        I imagine that mode of transport would feel exhilarating, like stepping into the Film Avatar, and mastering the dragon that rises up above all others and fights to save the Tree of Life’s Sanity.
        That parabola journey comes from all directions and Transformers aimed at that particular appointed arrows Target.
        Thank you for saying something David, because I feared I’d gone too far with you.
        Sibyl X

        Liked by 1 person

  9. You definitely live for the word and the image, David. Everything you craft is always colorful, and profound in meaning, with beautiful literary and pictorial portraits of so many world realities, sometimes sad, but hope and faith never abandon the forefront in your work. Well done, my friend! Gràcies per compartir tanta bellesa i visions. 👏😊😇

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

      2. Please, call the angels for us, David. Today is a sad day. Our peaceful leaders of Catalonia’s proindependence movement and our democratically elected politicians have been condemned up to 13 years in prison for sedition. Where is the sedition here if there was never any violence from the Catalan side? Obviously, the Spanish state has created and is creating a factory of fake news. They have also imprisoned 7 common citizens accused of invented terrorism. One of them is totally isolated in a prison cell since September 23, has had no possibility to speak with a lawyer, has no light in the cell and is taken outside in the last turn for dinner eating only the leftovers. Today is indeed a sad day, but also the starting point for a series of intensified NVDA (Non Violent Direct Actions). We are taking the streets peacefully and practicing civil disobedience whenever necessary. There is no other way.

        Liked by 1 person

      3. The more things change,
        the more the brutal power game
        stays the same.
        As the dogs have been unleashed
        upon Kurdistan, by a President who’s
        done some unholy deal with the
        Ottoman, and doesn’t give a damn.
        One man’s patriotism
        is another man’s oppression.
        The Spanish Government is
        getting away with such repression
        of Catalan, as the ‘Free World’ is
        distracted Middle-Eastern chaos.
        And Brussels is too busy screwing
        the British Brexit.
        So much for the Idealism
        of Euro Socialism!?
        Like the Kurds, Catalonia is sadly on
        its own in the struggle for freedom.
        My thoughts and prayers are with
        you and yours, Marta 🙏💛✊

        Liked by 1 person

      4. Thank you, David. Yes, we are on our own in this struggle for freedom. It has always been like that throughout Catalonia’s history. However, many revolutions triumph when the masses of the people united don’t give up. In our case, as opposed to the terrible situation of the Kurds (my thoughts and prayers for them), change suggests better, but it will be a long and hard way with sacrifices. Remember the nonviolent movements of Mahatma Gandhi, Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King, etc. This is the direction it is taking. And it is unstoppable now. There is no other way.

        Liked by 1 person

  14. Most lovely and devotional poem,
    dear Redpath.
    So much beautiful lines which are repeated in your verse are amazing.
    “Rock steady as angels strike up the band…..”
    🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    1. From memory, the sculpture of an
      angel spearing the dragon was in
      the Sacré-Cœur Basilica, Paris.
      I took the pic of the army vehicle
      outside the Florence Duomo.
      Sadly the police and military were
      on high terrorist alert, but you’re
      not supposed to take photos of the
      security personnel. So I didn’t.
      The Angel Artworks are spread
      around the art galleries of Europe.
      I took them a couple of years ago,
      so I’m not sure which one was
      where, Aruna. The ‘Musical Angel’
      🎶👼plays in the Ufizzi Gallery 😎

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      Reply

    1. The armoured defence vehicle
      is Italian Army issue, Victoria.
      So it had only one forward gear
      . . . and four reverse 🔀 😎

      “We are stardust,
      we are golden.
      We are caught
      in the devils bargain.
      And we got to get ourselves
      back to the garden.”
      ~ Joni Mitchell

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      Reply

      5. Thanks for taking
        the double dip, Vic✌️😎

        “Stake my future
        on a hell of a past
        Looks like tomorrow
        is a coming on fast
        Ain’t complaining about
        what I got
        Seen better times
        but who has not
        Silvio silver and gold
        Won’t buy back the beat
        of a heart grown cold
        Silvio I gotta go
        Find out something
        only dead men know”

        ~ Bob Dylan

        Like

  26. Wow, what a beautiful poem of yours. I love the bit about Jesus. Great lyrics by Bob Dylan too. I’m not familiar with those. Thank you.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    1. Thank you celestially, Rita 🙏

      God will save His fallen angels
      And their broken wings He’ll mend
      When He draws their hearts together
      And they learn to love again
      All their sins will be forgiven
      In the twinkle of an eye
      All the saints rejoice in heaven
      When the fallen angels fly

      ~ Billy Joe Shaver

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

    1. Thanks Chris 🙏
      Next time I go to an art gallery I’m
      determined to take a better camera.
      Yes, I wouldn’t want to sugar coat
      this current pestilence. Nor post
      something flippant, or alarmist,
      … like this;

      🎶Oh, a germ is threatening
      My very life today
      If I don’t get some shelter
      Oh yeah, I’m gonna fade away
      Corrr Ona, it’s just a cough away
      It’s just a cough away
      Corrr Ona, it’s just a sneeze away
      It’s just a sneeze away
      Ooh, see the virus sweepin’
      Our very streets today
      Spreads like Eee Bola
      A black plague is on its way
      Corrr Ona, it’s just a kiss away
      It’s just a kiss away
      Corrr ona, it’s just a shot away
      It’s just a shot away 🎶

      ~ The Strolling Bones ☠️😎

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

    1. Thank you wondrously, Katy 💛
      I’ve been waiting with much
      trepidation for a shoe to drop.
      The way we treat Mother Nature
      taking such reckless advantage
      of her, whilst feeder her our toxic
      slop 😢
      Hopefully there’s a bright future
      when all this current pestilence
      comes to a stop 🚫⚡🌧️🌦️🌤️🌞

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  36. I was driving between home when Baba o’Reilly came on the car radio and I was transfixed: the whole feel of that song is apocalyptic, strongly reminiscent of these dark, ravaged times ;

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

  38. When you’re sad
and when you’re lonely
and you haven’t got a friend
Just remember
that death is not the end
And all that you’ve held sacred
falls down and does not mend
Just remember
that death is not the end
    This is brilliant. I think I’ll call it inspirational realism. Btw David, I wanted to know if you wanted to write for the literati Mafia. I’m trying hard to revive the collective. Contact me if you’re interested. And let’s work on the extraterrestrial (Remastered) ?

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    1. Dylan is the Man …
      and a Poet Laureate 👌

      Sorry that I’ve been flat out recently,
      Nitin. Your communique did get lost
      in an avalanche of spam. I’ll reply as
      soon as I can 👍 I’d be happy to
      forward some poetry imminently.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

      2. According to what
        Aristotle once told me
        you only hear what
        you want to hear 🙉
        To my uncultivated ear👂
        the music of the spheres
        is more Punk than Puccini.
        But then, with a dash
        of La bohème thrown in
        during intermission
        so you can go ➡️
        get some popcorn 🍿😎👍
        perhaps even a beer 🍺

        Liked by 1 person

  46. When nations collapse, banks collapse, or fake disease strikes, the vultures swoop in, capture the wealth from small and medium business.
    Shoo away the angels and saints, and think and act like a vulture!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. One of my absolute favourites, Resa.
      I sang it to myself 🐺 🎶 the entire
      time I was in London in the hope of
      encountering a werewolf. Sadly I found
      not a one. Not a Sid Vicious, or even
      a Johnny Rotten! So instead I tuned
      in to Ralph Mc Tell’s ‘Streets of London’.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

      1. Lol! Maybe Warren meant London, Ontario? 🤔
        The JR & SV days are over, at least in the popular urban vernacular. However, their sentiment remains sentient.
        Unfortunately Ralph Mc Tell’s ‘Streets of London’ are also the streets of Toronto.
        Ahhh WOooooo 🐺 🎶

        Liked by 1 person

      2. Those werewolves are prowling
        the streets of every big city, Resa.
        An Uber Eats menu in hand and on
        the hunt for a soy caffe latte ☕🐺
        If you see one coming your way 👀
        you may become it’s very next
        untimely DoorDash delivery 😱

        Like

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