a bowlful of larry
©2005 Lawrence A. McFadden. All rights reserved.
rainbow family of light
national gathering
pennsylvania 1998
the mountain formed a view
i already knew
the smoke from many camps
consumed the wind
and the flags of many colors
communed the valley
my brothers and sisters
welcomed me home
back to the woods of my soul
back to the divine of the kind
back to a love i seldom find
back to the family of the rainbow tribes
to share in all we brought and all we do
no bowl goes empty and our wants are few
to be free to be here we believe
cause here is freedom you see
we gather in the forest
our church on earth
every july fourth
where we give birth to prayer
and verse to bless and honor
mother earth
here in the forest i formed a view
i already knew
as the flames of the fires
my sisters danced
as the rumble through the mountains
my brothers drummed
as the moon sparkled in my eyes
my spirit soared
i knew a wisdom will come
to heal the earth
and the wisdom will come
on the thunder
of drums
winter was still deep
in my heart when my eyes filled
with the full moon of june
and i knew soon i must gather together
the tribe and ride east
after the ritual and feast of the solstice
the mad rush to leave as early as
must work on the bus
must see who's going with us
must gather the cash for gas
and the never ending thing of what
to bring
may take two days may take two weeks
just to be able to go is a tease so sweet
to be on the highway beat
the hymn of the hum late night
when no one can sleep
the closer we get to being there
the more our troubles fade into the air
and the journey doesn't end
till we're home again
rainbow family of light
national gathering
montana 1999
the wind swept the coals
till they shone gold
then the fire
broke free
i
broke free
completely
and entered the forest
of my brothers and sisters
spirituality
i humbly come
to provide
and search and hide
amongst the tribes
i humbly come
to share in the grace
of our sacred place
i humbly come
to drink from
the divine chalice
of kindness
i humbly come
because all are
welcome
i humbly come
with all i can
and as many as i can
i am one
at the gathering
in dead wood's bright flame
high on a mountain in montana
cold as hell on a summer's night
huddled around the fire
shuttling the chalice and
smoking the kind
the silence as the rain starts falling
hard and getting drenched are we
to look up and see the stars
of a cloudless sky
magnified
the rainbow i saw
yesterday after the storm
to be shown to be chosen
to see believe me
is all the belief
i will ever need
and from my heart
i will shape my art
for all to see
what appears to be
a view clear through
reality
reggae sunsplash
saint joseph, michigan
7/17/05
i see my smile
grow with the riddems
of the joint chiefs
the bass thump walks
my cup across the table
her voice quickly melts
the ice in my glass
and the rip of the riffs
shatters the boredom
in jah's kingdom
i relive my worst
nightmare and sweetest
dream here in the dread
and high in the glee
and sigh of the rastafari
my mind is reminded
of the strength of our
struggle the unity of our
love the joyfull celebration
and soulfull creation
of brother and sister
a tiny natty nation
at the amtrack station
saint joseph michigan
a splash of sun for as long
as we remember
magnoliafest midwest
bean blossom, indiana
7/22-7/24 2005
the adventure the seed
road trippy hippy
my thought blooms
in bean blossoms
and the heart and soul
of bill "by god' monroe
don'tcha know he's dead now
singing through the lonesome
sound of every breakdown
every solo every halo of those
who dedicate their lives
to the banjo bass fiddle
mandolin and guitar
you won't get rich and
ya won't get far filled
with song filled with love
reaching for the stars
in a sip of moonshine
your eyes met mine high
on bluegrass "you have
no shadow" she said.
"full moon madness" i reply.
it was hot enough today to
melt the shade hot enough
to poach an egg might be
too hot tomorrow to bale
hay unheard of till this
heat wave
funny i should think of our
nudity in this humidity
"lets moonbathe" i say
just like a woman she looks
at me and says "not yet.
this ain't no pagan fest."
the rooster crows at
midnight so i says "i'm in
a grateful dead cover band."
she said "we all are" and
went to bed just my luck
i woke up this morning
trying to remember her name
there's pickin' in my head
and the music said "i'm a
human bean in bean blossom"
then my toe starts tappin'
my head starts noddin'
and the sound turns to grass
bluegrass at a brown county
jamboree bluegrass
and i am sod
widespread panic
noblesville, indiana
7/27/05
googoo balls
and i'm dancin' inside
my spirit soars
wingspread deadahead
widespread panic
a picnic of peace
complete without words
without need with family
you greet me greatly lacy
i feel the love of your hug
that i now crave everyday
my want to be touched
with your touch of want
i yearn you
and i am grateful
as i climb the clouds
back down to the ground
blues night open mic
mid-city grill
fort wayne, indiana
8/1/05
as i learn
to braid the blues
the physical the sexual
the spiritual i yearn
for you too
this energy this esctasy
like a song like a worth
where do the roots end
where do the heavens
begin within without
you in my heart
as i learn i yearn
for you too
my heart an open mic
with the blues feel me
feel you with the blues
taste me taste you
with the blues
let me earn you
with lust with touch
let me
rid these blues
grass roots music festival
the waterbowl, muncie in
8/12-13/05
the place sounds like
bong water the waterbowl
muncie indiana grass roots
dig it celebrate the rocks
lay back and open joy
the laugh of a big belly
the sigh of a lover's return
a game of flame and moth
the toss i lost and fell
into the evening sky i've
got the nightwatch and i
remember the cicada at dusk
the sound tasted and taught
the shape of my thoughts
my must of my wonderlust
where will i walk tonight
to what star will i fly
how far will i fall
only my fear dies
it dawns on me and i smile
a day many miles high
thunderclouds full of faces
a race of wind and people
a rainbow our steeple
my church my mother earth
the taller i grow the deeper
i go fare thee well grass roots
for another year for another show
burning spear
bloomington, indiana
9/16/05
south on indiana state road 37
bloomtown bound and all the birds
not at rest are flying west
i stopped to pick up a hitchhiking
buzzard cause i knew he would
of done the same for me
the buzzard said brother
have you heard the news
there's an army of buddhas
and recuitment is up
yes i said i read where thee thee
the the signed up, none the wiser
enlisted, crazy cloud said his
vows out loud, dumb luck
showed up and the spirit of the
flock grew as the buzzard knew too
there were more than a few who
are needed to teach christains
not to kill there are more than
a few who are needed to seperate
church from hate we all know
the united states ain't hated
for its freedom america is hated
for its greed and if you need
for me to say this then i'm
reporting for duty
brother buzzard had dreads
and said we are all an army
of one one love in the sum
of all worth peace on earth
i said ya know, there's a little
buddha in every head
lotus world music festival
bloomington, indiana
9/22-9/25 2005
last night not quite
in a flash of light
i was knighted
call me sir iflopalot
i face a little bit different
way in a little bit different
time with a little bit different
need we are all a little bit bit
an insanity in all my humanity
a gypsy flair in my thinning hair
a thread of what seams to be
reality a dream come true
little boy blue at the runcible
spoon lotus time in bloomtown
and the question in my coffee
cup is what do you do when
the spirit stirs you lotus time
and we are all one blossom
flower power as my life
becomes all my life
the grateful groove band
bloomington, indiana
11/11/05
state of indiana state of grace
i like the pace of this place no race
never too late sacred space
its easy to be bored its easier
to be distracted early afternoon
southbound turnaround
i'm driving upsidedown
and the truckers are rolling
left handed thunder i too crave
a smoke and feel the road
like a lover i find the flow
and feel the groove and i am
very grateful for you up ahead
deadahead dedicated and medicated
the grateful groove in bloomtown
the trees are barely bare yet the leaves
bring me luck and the question in my
coffee cup is do you give the gifts
the spirit gives you to return
in kind to return in time 1 a.m.
and i feel the road again the wheel
the hymn of the hum the sum
of my thoughts i've been looking
for years for something real
it ain't in my head it ain't between
my legs its in my heart pure and true
my love is real i see this now
now i see this in you
"the end"
national gathering
pennsylvania 1998
the mountain formed a view
i already knew
the smoke from many camps
consumed the wind
and the flags of many colors
communed the valley
my brothers and sisters
welcomed me home
back to the woods of my soul
back to the divine of the kind
back to a love i seldom find
back to the family of the rainbow tribes
to share in all we brought and all we do
no bowl goes empty and our wants are few
to be free to be here we believe
cause here is freedom you see
we gather in the forest
our church on earth
every july fourth
where we give birth to prayer
and verse to bless and honor
mother earth
here in the forest i formed a view
i already knew
as the flames of the fires
my sisters danced
as the rumble through the mountains
my brothers drummed
as the moon sparkled in my eyes
my spirit soared
i knew a wisdom will come
to heal the earth
and the wisdom will come
on the thunder
of drums
winter was still deep
in my heart when my eyes filled
with the full moon of june
and i knew soon i must gather together
the tribe and ride east
after the ritual and feast of the solstice
the mad rush to leave as early as
must work on the bus
must see who's going with us
must gather the cash for gas
and the never ending thing of what
to bring
may take two days may take two weeks
just to be able to go is a tease so sweet
to be on the highway beat
the hymn of the hum late night
when no one can sleep
the closer we get to being there
the more our troubles fade into the air
and the journey doesn't end
till we're home again
rainbow family of light
national gathering
montana 1999
the wind swept the coals
till they shone gold
then the fire
broke free
i
broke free
completely
and entered the forest
of my brothers and sisters
spirituality
i humbly come
to provide
and search and hide
amongst the tribes
i humbly come
to share in the grace
of our sacred place
i humbly come
to drink from
the divine chalice
of kindness
i humbly come
because all are
welcome
i humbly come
with all i can
and as many as i can
i am one
at the gathering
in dead wood's bright flame
high on a mountain in montana
cold as hell on a summer's night
huddled around the fire
shuttling the chalice and
smoking the kind
the silence as the rain starts falling
hard and getting drenched are we
to look up and see the stars
of a cloudless sky
magnified
the rainbow i saw
yesterday after the storm
to be shown to be chosen
to see believe me
is all the belief
i will ever need
and from my heart
i will shape my art
for all to see
what appears to be
a view clear through
reality
reggae sunsplash
saint joseph, michigan
7/17/05
i see my smile
grow with the riddems
of the joint chiefs
the bass thump walks
my cup across the table
her voice quickly melts
the ice in my glass
and the rip of the riffs
shatters the boredom
in jah's kingdom
i relive my worst
nightmare and sweetest
dream here in the dread
and high in the glee
and sigh of the rastafari
my mind is reminded
of the strength of our
struggle the unity of our
love the joyfull celebration
and soulfull creation
of brother and sister
a tiny natty nation
at the amtrack station
saint joseph michigan
a splash of sun for as long
as we remember
magnoliafest midwest
bean blossom, indiana
7/22-7/24 2005
the adventure the seed
road trippy hippy
my thought blooms
in bean blossoms
and the heart and soul
of bill "by god' monroe
don'tcha know he's dead now
singing through the lonesome
sound of every breakdown
every solo every halo of those
who dedicate their lives
to the banjo bass fiddle
mandolin and guitar
you won't get rich and
ya won't get far filled
with song filled with love
reaching for the stars
in a sip of moonshine
your eyes met mine high
on bluegrass "you have
no shadow" she said.
"full moon madness" i reply.
it was hot enough today to
melt the shade hot enough
to poach an egg might be
too hot tomorrow to bale
hay unheard of till this
heat wave
funny i should think of our
nudity in this humidity
"lets moonbathe" i say
just like a woman she looks
at me and says "not yet.
this ain't no pagan fest."
the rooster crows at
midnight so i says "i'm in
a grateful dead cover band."
she said "we all are" and
went to bed just my luck
i woke up this morning
trying to remember her name
there's pickin' in my head
and the music said "i'm a
human bean in bean blossom"
then my toe starts tappin'
my head starts noddin'
and the sound turns to grass
bluegrass at a brown county
jamboree bluegrass
and i am sod
widespread panic
noblesville, indiana
7/27/05
googoo balls
and i'm dancin' inside
my spirit soars
wingspread deadahead
widespread panic
a picnic of peace
complete without words
without need with family
you greet me greatly lacy
i feel the love of your hug
that i now crave everyday
my want to be touched
with your touch of want
i yearn you
and i am grateful
as i climb the clouds
back down to the ground
blues night open mic
mid-city grill
fort wayne, indiana
8/1/05
as i learn
to braid the blues
the physical the sexual
the spiritual i yearn
for you too
this energy this esctasy
like a song like a worth
where do the roots end
where do the heavens
begin within without
you in my heart
as i learn i yearn
for you too
my heart an open mic
with the blues feel me
feel you with the blues
taste me taste you
with the blues
let me earn you
with lust with touch
let me
rid these blues
grass roots music festival
the waterbowl, muncie in
8/12-13/05
the place sounds like
bong water the waterbowl
muncie indiana grass roots
dig it celebrate the rocks
lay back and open joy
the laugh of a big belly
the sigh of a lover's return
a game of flame and moth
the toss i lost and fell
into the evening sky i've
got the nightwatch and i
remember the cicada at dusk
the sound tasted and taught
the shape of my thoughts
my must of my wonderlust
where will i walk tonight
to what star will i fly
how far will i fall
only my fear dies
it dawns on me and i smile
a day many miles high
thunderclouds full of faces
a race of wind and people
a rainbow our steeple
my church my mother earth
the taller i grow the deeper
i go fare thee well grass roots
for another year for another show
burning spear
bloomington, indiana
9/16/05
south on indiana state road 37
bloomtown bound and all the birds
not at rest are flying west
i stopped to pick up a hitchhiking
buzzard cause i knew he would
of done the same for me
the buzzard said brother
have you heard the news
there's an army of buddhas
and recuitment is up
yes i said i read where thee thee
the the signed up, none the wiser
enlisted, crazy cloud said his
vows out loud, dumb luck
showed up and the spirit of the
flock grew as the buzzard knew too
there were more than a few who
are needed to teach christains
not to kill there are more than
a few who are needed to seperate
church from hate we all know
the united states ain't hated
for its freedom america is hated
for its greed and if you need
for me to say this then i'm
reporting for duty
brother buzzard had dreads
and said we are all an army
of one one love in the sum
of all worth peace on earth
i said ya know, there's a little
buddha in every head
lotus world music festival
bloomington, indiana
9/22-9/25 2005
last night not quite
in a flash of light
i was knighted
call me sir iflopalot
i face a little bit different
way in a little bit different
time with a little bit different
need we are all a little bit bit
an insanity in all my humanity
a gypsy flair in my thinning hair
a thread of what seams to be
reality a dream come true
little boy blue at the runcible
spoon lotus time in bloomtown
and the question in my coffee
cup is what do you do when
the spirit stirs you lotus time
and we are all one blossom
flower power as my life
becomes all my life
the grateful groove band
bloomington, indiana
11/11/05
state of indiana state of grace
i like the pace of this place no race
never too late sacred space
its easy to be bored its easier
to be distracted early afternoon
southbound turnaround
i'm driving upsidedown
and the truckers are rolling
left handed thunder i too crave
a smoke and feel the road
like a lover i find the flow
and feel the groove and i am
very grateful for you up ahead
deadahead dedicated and medicated
the grateful groove in bloomtown
the trees are barely bare yet the leaves
bring me luck and the question in my
coffee cup is do you give the gifts
the spirit gives you to return
in kind to return in time 1 a.m.
and i feel the road again the wheel
the hymn of the hum the sum
of my thoughts i've been looking
for years for something real
it ain't in my head it ain't between
my legs its in my heart pure and true
my love is real i see this now
now i see this in you
"the end"