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The Songs of Linda
Written November 2001 and December 2005

 

 

I once was a young man in charge of a channel
     On cable TV, airing low-budget shows.
'Twas there that I met her:  a friendly young lady
     Whose outgoing perkiness masked inner woes.

Now here is my song about cute little Linda,
     Her husband Dan Macho, their terrible row.
The story is real, though some names have been altered;
     No need to reopen those ancient wounds now.



CHORUS

Hear our happy exclamation:
Linda, welcome to our station!
You could be the new sensation
     On our TV show. 

We've been telling one another:
You're a splendid wife and mother.
Every viewer and his brother
     Wants to say hello.

Once an airline flight attendant,
Pretty, smart, and independent,
Now a TV star ascendant,
     You are good to go!

 

LINDA

 

I'm not.  Not yet.
   This could be fun,
      But it's all new.
Help me.

In my whole life,
   I've not been on
      TV at all.
Teach me.

How should I act?
   What should I say?
      Where should I look?
Show me.

 

TOM

Well, this camera's here, and the other is there.
They have lights on the top, as you may be aware,
And the one lit in red is the one that's "on air."
     And that is how that works.

When you talk, please speak up, but don't overextend.
And don't lecture the lens.  Instead, try to pretend
Just beyond that one lens there is one special friend.
     And this is how that works:

Though the number who watch may be vast and unknown,
You should speak "one to one," for we all watch alone.
Just imagine a friend with a smile like your own!
     And that is how that works.

 

LINDA

     Thanks for your aid!
     I was afraid
My stage fright here might worsen.
     But now I see:
     I'm on TV,
Yet talking to one person.

     You've been so kind,
     And here I find
No reason to stay fearful:
     The lights are warm,
     And they transform
My mood from cold to cheerful.

     Here, I have fun!
     I wish the sun
Shone this bright on the outside.
     My sons, who wait
     At home, are great,
Yet home still makes me red-eyed.

     My husband Dan —
     Distrustful man —
Leaves me irate and fuming,
     Dan secretly
     Will follow me,
Suspicions all-consuming.

I should stay home, he says,
And if I dare go out
     To the mall or to talk with a friend,
He's jealous of my time.
He questions where I've been
And then accuses me
     Of committing some ludicrous sin.

 

CHORUS

Our cousin is having some similar problems.
     His daughter and son-in-law constantly fight.
It's forced us to wonder again about marriage,
     For nobody seems to be doing it right.
     No, nobody seems to be doing it right.

 

LINDA

Last night a vase was thrown.
That's how I cut my hand.
     Now I won't say just who was at fault;
But afterwards in bed
Beside him, lying there,
I stared the ceiling down.
     These disputes must be brought to a halt!

 

CHORUS

But still, for the sake of the kids, you can't leave him.
     It's better to stick it out night after night.
At least, that's what everyone seems to be saying,
     Though nobody seems to be doing it right.
     No, nobody seems to be doing it right.

 

TOM

          On matters of marriage
                    I admit
                    I don't have
          Much personal insight.
All I know I learned in Sunday school.
                    There we learned
          That life will be better
If we always live the Golden Rule.

     We must love one another
     And forgive one another
     And care for one another.
     Then we can work it out.

          Forgiveness is vital,
                    That I know.
                    Just tell Dan
          How much you are sorry
For whatever wrongs you might have done,
                    Then he will
          Apologize likewise
And you two again can live as one.

     We must love one another
     And forgive one another
     And care for one another.
     Then we can work it out.

          Yes, love is the answer.
                    Jesus said
                    All of us
          Should love one another.
By the way, you know I care for you.
                    No, I'm not
           "In love" with you, Linda,
But I love you as the church folk do.

     We must love one another
     And forgive one another
     And care for one another.
     Then we can work it out.

 

LINDA

No matter what your "love" asserts,
I can't love Dan.  I've tried.  It hurts.
     It hurts.
          It really really really hurts.

Though I'm no angel, he's a jerk.
It's clear our marriage just won't work.
     Won't work.
          Won't ever ever ever work.

No more can anyone pretend
These wounds will heal.  This is the end.
     The end.
          The very very very end.

 

CHORUS

There's no reason for pretending
There will be a happy ending,
All the hurts and heartaches mending
     In the final reel.  

Life goes on.  To be objective —
Putting knowledge in perspective —
Life does sometimes seem defective,
     Less than our ideal.

 

LINDA

So now I've got to go, Tom.
Don't worry about me, please.
I am not worth the trouble.

TOM

You know that you are.

 

LINDA

But now I've got to go, Tom.
Don't worry about me, please.

TOM

You know that I will.

 

LINDA

But now I've got to go.

 

CHORUS

Go henceforth in peace,
Both now and evermore.
May you someday find
The joy that was before.

 

 

TBT

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