Minstrel

Cake Walk Cry

An homage to highwaymen, road warriors, rangers, rovers, and troubadours Woody Guthrie, Roger Miller, Frankie Laine, Bob Dylan, and Ray Davies.

Talkin' 21st Century Tramp Blues

The Other Side

One Good Reason

Surrender

A personal interpretation of this traditional blues song.

St. James Infirmary Blues

Enough's Enough

Poem: Woody Guthrie 1946
Music: Martin Hoffman 1958
1st Arrangement: Pete Seeger 1959
2nd Arrangement: Gene Stephan Ruda 2019

Deportee

Dedicated to my twin sister, Diane Leslie Ruda (1955-1999). #metoo

Fontainebleau

Take to the wood,
Tears and Diana
All for one the good
Choose a sign, a stone
Just like your heart
You're not alone
We'll split the rocks apart

Oh lady Artemis
Take nine muses, my own
I do insist, and they'll assist
Intern your broken stone

Diana
Twin 'o mine
Born two as one
Both one and other
Sister and brother

Shout it out
Me too, we three
You for me, me for you, it's Apollo...
For us a fountain blue, oh...
Dans la forêt de Fontainebleau

To the wild again,
Deers and Diana
Where the better beasts reign
A virgin's arrow in flight
From there the soiled nest
For every mother's right
To give her child a breast

Hunt the kingdom clown
Truth to power now
Break the monster down, and I'll take 'em down
Truth to power now

Diana
Twin 'o mine
Born two as one
Both one and other
Sister and brother

Shout it out
Me too, we three
You for me, me for you, it's Apollo...
For us a fountain blue, oh...
Dans la forêt de Fontainebleau

Call 'em out
Dear, dear Diana
Testify, testify
End the silence
Stop the violence
We'll cry, yes we'll all cry...

Shout it out
Me too, we three
You for me, me for you, it's Apollo...
For us a fountain blue, oh
Dans la forêt de Fontainebleau

Fontainebleau

Old Folks at Home [Swanee River)

Old Folks At Home {Swanee River]

With fires all around us I woke up yesterday morning before dawn with this in my head and so I wrote it down. It's about the flame of life.

Scott Leonard
Surrounded by firestorm
Sebastopol, California
September 11, 2020


While Your Flame Still Burns

Born of our Sun
This spark of life
Your flame

Burning ever ready, from the day you're born until the moment you pass
Fire that can warm the heart
Forging steal and frameworks,
and yet at times can burn those around you
Be mindful with your precious flame

Born of our Sun
This spark of life
Your flame

And when the flame has passed 
Who did warm their hands at your campfire?
Toast yummy marshmallows with the heat you provided?
How many souls did enjoy your light and glow?
Your flame of extraordinary fireside chats
Oh flame of flames did you provide those in your orbit with warmth and shelter from the cold?

Born of this Sun
This spark of life
Your flame

How long will you burn my dearest special fire?
For this flame does not last forever, 
Yes, your story can continue on with the campfires and circles that still remain behind.
And yes, the heat can still be felt even after your flame is gone.
Your charcoal and ash will remain behind but it too will perish
Ashes to dust, and to particulars that then blow across our horizons.

From the Sun
This spark of life
Your flame

How will your flame burn, while your flame still burns?

---

Your Flame
Original text/poetry by Scott Leonard
Song lyrics/music RUDA

https://www.instagram.com/tv/CKHXtuAgkOM/?igshid=zh6xdp85f56

Sun birthed
Life sparked
Your flame

Eternal or passing
Heart warming
Framing forging
Strong steelings

Burn harmless
Turn radiantly
Precious sourcerous
Magic mindfully

Sun birthed
Life sparked
Your flame

Camped fire mellow
Warmed hands free
Toasted 'mallows
Afterglow memo-ree

Countless souls
Shadows and sound
Chattering round
Your ring of coals

Sun birthed
Life sparked
Your flame

Lost hers, last his
Soular cycler
Roar to ember
Fade to ashes

Felt, remembered
Perished particles
Gone, upwinded
Horizon tale sails

From the Sun
Spark of life
Your flame

I wonder will you vent 
That flame
It burning 'til you went
And came

Sun birthed
Life sparked
Your flame