first of all, because of jolie and matt and regena and hope -- and for you, because you listened to me, listened with me



1st audio reading, 'same as summer', 8 August 2015, Winter Park

a year later -- 

full text, by nikki fragala barnes

same as Summer (or, Florida)

time is different in Florida, Derrick Austin said
so is quiet – it’s the loudest quiet you’ve ever heard
and the brightest bright

he went on to say, thunderstorms are more punctual than people
perhaps
we are in the rain, we are the music, our eyes can’t see the sun, though the camera can, shows us the meaning of blue, the truths in grey
and so much water
water in the air, water in the ground
the moon pulls stronger here – we are all tidal
the relentlessness of life is front of mind, constant, in sight
time stretches, blurs with the horizon, edgeless
did you know blue meant so many things
that you can see yourself in insects, spiderwebs, wildflowers, birdsong
and lose yourself
no such thing as minutes

and, evening came, and morning followed, and it began again (as all things)
with water and stars and wanting
yesterdayranintolastnightandIdidn’tsleep, just waited for the sun, so I could begin like the first day, like a new day, leaning on hope and looking up, there is no sky
marble clouds thickening into kindling for a fiery dawn
what was it I was trying to remember, was it something to tell you, what I’ve been wanting to say, or waiting to hear
I almost forgot about you

it’s like iron filings to our magnet hearts – the beautiful math of snow, like a song that surprised you into the past
or ghosts

hey, you’re going to fast, picking up speed
too far – have you come to the smooth part of the road, does what you carry feel light
wait for me, rest. listen for water moving, calling, carrying secrets until it’s no longer this evening, this night, this version of us
what no one tells you is how hard it is to drive away and how hard it is to drive back

I have said this and meant it and that is how I can mean it again, to you
although you do not understand

I want to remember the spring in twenty-fourteen, it was so very mild and cool, even into April, past the middle of April, it was cold so much longer, perhaps 
it will rush right into summer, without wind, and we will find ourselves in the center of rainstorms and hot afternoons, and

the rest I cannot say, and I have nothing left to do but melt

#melt #dawn #summer


same as Summer, August 2016

This is the stirring and beautiful cut without the lyrics -- it is both knowing and hopeful --

(C) 2013. All rights reserved.

music & lyrics by
Mark Andrew Taylor and
Nikki Fragala Barnes

www.nikkibarnes.com

Falling Back In (Instrumental/Bonus)

This is a special one -- spare and true. -nb
---

[music and lyrics by Nikki Fragala Barnes and Mark Andrew Taylor; performed by MAT]

LYRICS
Falling Back In

Lost my faith in us before
On a long road, I might again
Lost my faith in you before
On a long road, I might again

Just now I am
Falling back, falling back in
Falling back, falling back in
Falling back in

Looking back 
To what was once begun
White blindness
Looking into the sun

All at once
I can breathe again
Sun down and sinking 
Without end

Just now I am 
Falling back, falling back in
Falling back, falling back in
Falling back in

Night after night
And again
I keep on falling
Night after night
And again
I keep on falling

Just now I am 
Falling back in
Falling back, falling back in
Falling back, falling back in
Falling back in

---

(C) 2013. All Rights Reserved.

Falling Back In (on Blue, 2013)

[music and lyrics by Nikki Fragala Barnes and Mark Andrew Taylor; performed by MAT]

LYRICS
Storm Song

Your troubled soul keeps troubling me
I’ve let you go so many times
Maybe, could it be
I’m only meant to see you lost
Deep in this fire and sound

It’ll be someone else’s love
Sees you found
Someone else’s love
Someone else’s love

I’ve watched you go
On road after road
After something you think feels free
Watched you so sure you’ll find everything you want
With a new identity

It’ll be someone else’s love 
Sees you found
Someone else’s love
Someone else’s love

You’re sure you’re alone
Wondering when the rains came
There’s a gathering storm
You can see it now
Why are you always driving into
One storm or another one

You tell me you don’t like the cold
You tell me you’ve been searching so long for the sun
Not sure if there is one, if there’s one
You don’t want to run
You don’t want to run

You’re sure you’re alone
Wondering when the rains came
There’s a gathering storm
You can see it now
Why are you always driving into
One storm or another one

You’re sure you’re alone
Wondering when the rains came
There’s a gathering storm
I can see it now
Why am I always driving into
One storm or another one
One storm or another one

(C) 2013. All rights reserved.

Storm Song (on Blue, 2013)

[music and lyrics by Nikki Fragala Barnes and Mark Andrew Taylor; performed by MAT]

LYRICS
I see the way you look at me
How you watch how I move
When I move away

It’s too much these days
You’re too afraid I’ll fall
You’ll fall

Let me fall with you
You will fall
I will fall, too
Let me fall with you
Let me fall into you
Into you

Show me all the things I haven’t seen
Just can’t see
Then I notice
How close I am to you
How close you are to me
So close to me

Let me fall with you
You will fall
And I will fall, too
Let me fall with you
Let me fall

All of the things I tried so hard
For you not to see
Then you looked right at me
Right through me
Fall with me
Fall with me

Let me fall with you
You will fall
I will fall, too
Let me fall with you
Let me fall

Into you
Let me fall with you
You will fall
I will fall, too
Let me fall with you
Let me fall into you
Into you

(C) 2013. All rights reserved.

The Fall (on Blue, 2013)

[music and lyrics by Nikki Fragala Barnes and Mark Andrew Taylor; performed by MAT]

LYRICS
Blue

All these things before you
And I’m just one more
What you saw, what I felt
Doesn’t matter anymore

All you see is sky
There’s too much in you
 My whole world is blue

Again I find you
You know what I need
Say the hardest thing

All you see is sky
It’s thundering through
My whole world is blue
My whole world is blue

I don’t feel alone
You seem to be
The sky’s all you
The sky’s all you need

How do you see
So clearly into me
How do you know
How to unravel a dream

Now we’re finding something
My whole world is blue

Once more it’s blue
My whole world is blue

(C) 2013. All rights reserved.

Blue (on Blue, 2013)

I am a writer / artist / lyricist, and this is my work. I love collaboration -- to create with many hands, many voices. I believe in wide open sounds, clearing the paths for creativity and a true encounter. Plus, language + art are fun. 
PS if it’s here, I wrote it --nfb