Like a Rising Stone (Revisited)

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Like a Rising Stone

A time to live
to seek
to be found
to hear truth
how sweet the sound
Veritas
to be tasted
To love
and to be loved
Without it
a lifetime
truly wasted

For once upon a time
you would drift so fine
crossing the line
past your prime
Didn’t you?
Within the spin
of a freefall
you heard the call
but yet you felt
to open the door
to the One for all
was somehow beneath you
You used to laugh about
everybody that was reaching out
Now you don’t talk so loud
upon your mobile cloud
Now you don’t seem so so proud
scrounging around
for some last minute exit deal

Now how does it feel?
Tell me … how does it feel
to be on your own
into the great unknown
with no direction home
downhill and alone
like a rolling stone?

Always . . .
the cat walking
stalking and talking
the survival fit
Nobody ever taught you
how to seek
the meek discreet
now you find
looking behind
you shoulda oughta
have sought after it
You used to fly so high
with your raptor pack
as on a vulture’s wing
circling after
some drive-by snack
whilst speed feeding
that link missing
upon your back
Ain’t it hard
when you discover that
mother lovin’ really wasn’t
where he’s at
after he took from you
everything he could steal

Now how does it feel
holding a dead man’s hand
with no cards left to deal?
Like an unpaid loan
to a creditor unknown
serving a vanquished throne
Like a sinking stone

Never saw through
that mystery guru
as he blew
voodoo smoke at you
Never understood
that it ain’t no good
you shouldn’t let
old men in robes
… and suits
get your truths for you
Those spurious priests
with hearts of stone
and their religious yeast
that’ll strip you
down to the bone
Are mere illusions
glittering delusions
of lightning sky diamonds
to be your chosen prize?
Will you never recognise
the question burning
before your eyes?
The splendour
of higher nature
calls even the fallen
and broken to arise
To win forever
a treasure
beyond all measure
or to ever
just compromise
with Lucy in disguise
who supplies you
all your false alibis
as you pray over
a vacuum of old lies
and say
you’ve found a new way
of keeping it real
and how
absolutely everything
is just so surreal!
If all those paths
lead to paradise … Hun
how come you’ve become
such a mess
whilst dumpster diving
you’re last meal?

Now … how does it feel?
Tell me … how does it feel
to be without a home
all exposed and prone
to a pointed bone?
Like a complete unknown
before heaven’s throne

Another people’s princess
of bewilderness
roaming
rolling
and stoning
the great waylaid
How you gonna lay waste
how you gonna lie straight
now that your bed is made?
Reflections of magnificence
and all precious gifts
to you God gave
But who took and broke
your token innocence
then went and pawned it Babe?
You used to be so amused
by the man of faith
and the language that he used
Go to him now
he calls you
How could you refuse?
Truth for the seeker
dazed and confused
Restoration divine
for the broken and bruised
Liberation sublime
for the captive accused
A right and royal refuge
for the used and abused
When you’ve got nothing
you’ve got nothing to lose
You’re transparent to him
You’ve got no secrets to conceal

For I know how it feels
Lord … I know how it feels
to be on your own
in despair
threadbare and prone
like a seed unsown
by a wild wind blown
places mother
would never condone
beyond all flesh and bone
like the dial tone
of a disconnected phone
Lost within a floating stone

Yet found . . . to find
you are not alone
There is a King
upon the throne
with the directions home
The way being shown
out from a twilight zone
All curses broken and thrown
like weeds being mown
A mighty tree being grown
from just a seed that is sown
upon the Rock …
like a rising stone

Words & Images;
David B. Redpath © 2017-2025

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Hearing the Roar at An Stòr

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Isle of Skye in the Beholder’s Eye

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The Outstanding Stones of Stenness

New Morning Uluru

66 thoughts on “Like a Rising Stone (Revisited)”

  2. David! This is a masterpiece! The perfectly interwoven lyrics, the repetition, the short curt tone? My goodness. This is definitely getting added to the list of poetry I am jealous I did not write myself! Bravo!

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    1. Greatly appreciated, Violet 🙏 But …
      I must admit to having some poetic
      help from a certain Bob Dylan 🤔🕶️
      You may have heard of him 😎
      I find his words a constant source
      of inspiration. To this day I get a
      shiver up my spine when listening
      to ‘Like A Rolling Stone’.

      Liked by 3 people

      Reply

  7. I went to Uluru about 20’ish years ago – along with about 30,000 others. I couldn’t believe how crowded it was. Totally ruined the experience for me!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. I was rather fortunate. It was relatively
      quiet the day Linda and I visited Uluru.
      An Aboriginal girl suddenly appeared
      in one of the many caves we were
      exploring, leaving me wondering if we
      had stumbled into the Dreamtime 🤔🕶️

      The Rock

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

      2. It made sense for us to drive there
        during the winter dry season, as we
        were driving all the way to Darwin.
        An outback mystery tour, as Linda .
        was navigating 🔄🔃🤔🕶️
        Fortunately we didn’t get too lost,
        as driving from south to north is
        mostly in a straight line ⬆️ 😎

        Liked by 1 person

    1. Greatly appreciated, Cheryl 🙏
      I was told that travel broadens the
      mind, but have you ever spent time
      on a group tour trapped in a bus?! 😎
      I have been blessed with the chance
      to travel to many far flung locations
      (which may not have broadened my
      mind, but certainly emptied out my
      bank account 🤔🕶️).

      Like

      Reply

  9. Hey David, this is Everybody’s Favorite Uncle Gregory Thomas here. I just wanted to say thank you very much for liking several of my blog posts at Cascadia Legends! I truly appreciate it. It seems you have a unqiue rhyming schema and style as well, I especially liked that one poem of yours featuring The Tower of babel, because in today’s world, this is very rich symbolism, and it can be used as metaphors in a multitude of ways for novels.
    -From Everybody’s Favorite Uncle Gregory Thomas

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. Very pleased to hear, Pat.
      As Dylan himself once said …

      Take me on a trip upon
      your magic swirling ship
      My senses have been stripped
      My hands can’t feel to grip
      My toes too numb to step
      Wait only for my boot heels
      to be wandering
      I’m ready to go anywhere
      I’m ready for to fade
      into my own parade
      Cast your dancing spell my way
      I promise to go under it

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  11. David, you never cease to amaze me. Your post are a lot like Tim’s in the effort and work you give us in one visit. I really enjoyed the poetry, and I took my time reading it. I loved it because it spoke to me in these days and times, and also what you said about God. I always think you show such wisdom in your poems and your cadence is perfect, making it almost feel like you are singing when you read your words out loud. Just a great message of many lessons in life and the questions that we must ask ourselves. I loved what you did with the photographs. The multiple faces in the first one, was so interesting and the colors were quite the treat. Some great bands as well of course and the great Bob Dylan. The Mamas and the Papas, I had not heard that song in a long time and who doesn’t love it. Everyone loves the Rolling Stones. Thank you my friend for the great post. You just don’t age do you, you look amazing. Give my best to Linda and you two take care of each other. Big hugs and blessings to you both.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. Grazie di cuore, Joni 🙏
      The inspiration for this piece, Dylan’s
      ‘Like A Rolling Stone’, has been placed
      high on the list of greatest songs of
      the Twentieth Century. So I did try my
      best to respectfully do it justice ( … or
      rip it off 🤔🕶️). Having lived in the
      urban jungle of a capital city, I’ve seen
      plenty of life’s ups and downs in the
      company of society’s down and outs.
      A former life, yet the memories remain
      fresh, along with the faces lost along
      the way. I thank God daily 🙏😇🕶️ for
      throwing me a lifeline 🛟 in the person
      of Jesus Christ ✝️
      Thanks for taking the time to read.
      In a way, this poem took a lifetime in
      the writing
      Some of the pics are a few years old,
      but Linda will tell you I’m still as virile
      as ever 💪😎👍

      Liked by 2 people

      Reply

      1. Sei il benvenuto e apprezzato con tutto il cuore amico mio!

        Dylan certainly didn’t win that Nobel prize in literature for nothing. You did an amazing job with this piece. Your writing is emotionally ingenious, extremely thought provoking and ends with a masterful and with a striking sense of a man so grateful for the redemption of one’s Savior. An incredible verbal and expression implied throughout this piece, Bravo!

        I have no doubt Linda is still taken good care of by her husband. You do look amazing. 🦋🤗❤️

        Liked by 1 person

    1. Thanks for your visitation, Teagan 🙏😎
      … and bringing to my attention that
      song 🎶 ‘Diamonds & Rust’. It couldn’t
      possibly be about Bob Dylan?! Could it?
      I saw a doco where Dylan wrote a song
      and gave it to Joan Baez, who later had
      a top seller with it, and later when she
      thanked Bob he couldn’t even remember
      writing it 🤔🕶️

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

      2. ‘Tiger’ ~ by Pritilata Nandii

        An insightful & highly relevant story.
        I have witnessed the suffering and the
        social injustice caused by the caste
        system, whilst travelling through India.
        You got my votes, Priti ✅

        Liked by 1 person

    1. … As it turns out, Jesus is the strong
      tower against the vagaries of unbridled
      worldly power. Shelter from the helter
      skelter that’s striking out,
      causing many to twist and shout.
      Jesus is the Rock … that doesn’t roll.
      Being the King of Kings 👑
      he ain’t no Republican
      . . . nor a Democrat 😎

      Liked by 2 people

      Reply

  18. Redemption at the end to all who call on His name, despite the journeys they’ve made. What a beautiful ending. 😎🙏
    Amazing piece of art, David… infused with so many subtleties and asides that almost go unnoticed…a kaleidoscope of snatches of song, bits of lore, pieces of a life few understand.
    Love the pix! Très cool 😎👏

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    1. Your generous comments are
      very much appreciated, Darryl 🙏
      This was one those poems where
      you feel, perhaps, like you may be
      giving away too much of yourself.
      But then, what use is poetry if it
      isn’t tied together with honesty?

      Liked by 3 people

      Reply

  20. Just re-read this, David. It is heartbreaking how many do not heed the call. Arrogance is certainly one reason. Our society is rife w/ that.
    But there are many reasons for unbelief. I considered myself an atheist for years as a result of childhood abuse. I blamed God for the evil in the world, rather than man. Thankfully, Christ came for me, and restored my faith. I will be forever grateful. ❤

    Liked by 3 people

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