I run a second blog called Hip Diggs. It’s about minimalism and simple living. I believe that living simply opens up space for more creativity. If you’ve never visited Hip Diggs, I encourage you to check it out at www.hipdiggs.com.
Every once in awhile, I’ll share a post on both blogs. I’m going to give my danerickson.net fans a sneak preview of a poem that’s scheduled for a future date over at Hip Diggs.
First, a little background about the poem:
When I was younger, I had great expectations and dreams. I wanted to be a rock and roll star. I envisioned fancy mansions, cars, lots of exotic travel, and millions of dollars in the bank. It took awhile to get to simple is as simple does.
Simple Is as Simple Does
I wanted it all, the fortune and fame,
money, cars, airplanes, and guitars.
I saw myself on the stage, everyone
cheering me on. But simple is
as simple does.
I lived in a trailer, worked like a dog,
to get to the top. Packed my bags
for Nashville, Tennessee. My tune had
changed, but the dream remained.
Oh, simple is as simple does.
I went off to school, got a degree
in talking on the radio. Could still
make that million yet. Visions of luxurious
things still dancing in my head.
Still, simple is as simple does.
I got married, bought some stuff, filled
the house, moved a couple of times,
discovered I was getting weighed down.
Simple is as simple does.
I found life getting more complicated,
kids, car payments, mortgages, cell phones,
stuff, more stuff, and more stuff still.
I started to think, “what’s the point?”
Life was easier in a trailer, working at
a minimart. So I started getting smart.
Simple is as simple does.
Now I’m saving money, energy, and time.
Living with less and looking to climb
further down the ladder that I started up
with a dream so long ago.
I think of what life is and what life was.
Simple is as simple does.
* * *
Learn More About My Poetry
If you’d like to read more of my poetry, I have two books of poems:
Incandescent Man Walking: While reading the work of poet/songwriter Dan Erickson, you feel like you are eavesdropping on an important conversation. Sometimes the topic, love, patience, music, the mysteries of youth and the inevitability of aging, is vital to us all as human beings. Sometimes the topic reflects anger at life’s ongoing injustices, perhaps those especially reflected in our adversarial legal system that emphasizes “winning” over the pursuit of truth. Sometimes Dan’s work is just full of wonder at Nature and God’s work in the world.
Permanence and Transparency: Raw and Unedited, The poems in this collection follow the same themes as the poems in Incandescent Man Walking. Love, mystery, nature, God, and music fill the pages of this book of poems. Coming soon to Amazon as an eBook.
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