javenbear

Communion

“Communion” They’re all coming up the aisle eagerly, Red dress, navy shirt, Blue blouse, black skirt, Sisters – brothers – saints – neighbors, — And the music plays: “I dare not trust the sweetest frame, But wholly trust in Jesus’ name,” — An old man slowly staggers toward the bread and wine, Then the youngContinue reading “Communion”

Songs for the Springtime -side A-

I am pleased to present to you, good friends, the top side of this collection of demos. These first five songs (side A) were all written for people right around me. *use headphones. Rambling Anthems: Volume Two – Songs for the Springtime — if the Lord should tarry, let the springtime come, — – tracksContinue reading “Songs for the Springtime -side A-“

Another Year and Some New Songs

And about once a year I fill up a notebook. By the end, it’ll have pages and pages of random lyrics, choruses, and unfinished songs. But there are always a few actual, coherent pieces I deem worthy of making into a demo with a recording mic or my phone. After I filled up the secondContinue reading “Another Year and Some New Songs”

Wine and Ball and Rock n Roll

I’m about half-way through Hemingway’s “The Sun Also Rises,” a novel from which I’ve gathered, if nothing else, that the French sure like their wine. They’ll stop twice for drinks on the way to dinner where they’ll drink again before heading to a drinking party. They speak a language of wine and liturgically share theContinue reading “Wine and Ball and Rock n Roll”

descending from the city on a hill

This video depicts a Wednesday at Tri-County. As of Tuesday a week a ago, I have given my last presentation at Tri-County Technical. I have climbed and descended those great flights of steps for the last time. Tri-County is something of a city on a hill. I’ve told friends that if disaster strikes, that’s whereContinue reading “descending from the city on a hill”

the sun comes up

I try to stay writing. And it’s funny how what I write goes in cycles. For a long time, I’ve had a general goal of writing at least one song every month. Some months I’ve written many more…and some none at all. Recently, I’ve been missing the mark. I haven’t felt much like writing songs,Continue reading “the sun comes up”

Colin Kaepernick’s Protest (an essay)

The following paper represents many hours me being hunched over a table, squinting at a screen, books and papers splayed about – writing, reading, and re-writing. It was assigned as a paper about a current ‘social problem’ in society. In the process of writing, I read Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech.Continue reading “Colin Kaepernick’s Protest (an essay)”

An Ode to the Unspoken Arts

There is such a great ruckus made about “the arts”, that celebrated pursuit of beauty. And rightly so. In another year I’ll have an associate’s degree in arts, whatever that means. There is music, dancing, poetry, painting, filming, flailing…and a million more. But I have uncovered some others too. Lesser known, but quite useful andContinue reading “An Ode to the Unspoken Arts”

concerning dreams

10/17/18 11:11 p.m. It’s 11:11 and I can write anything I like – I can wish upon the stars that whirl above October. They always ask us what we could be if we could be anything we like. Well that’s kind of hard I think. But if you say it like this, like, “What wouldContinue reading “concerning dreams”

The Philosopher King

This is an essay I wrote for philosophy class. We’ve just finished reading Plato’s Republic, which is basically Socrates and friends sitting around trying to figure out what justice looks like. It’s crazy to think that colleges are still teaching a book written before Christ was born – we’re talking 2300 hundred years ago. That’s aContinue reading “The Philosopher King”