Silence isn't golden, it's white.


self-portrait, White Sands, NM

November 11, 2001

At least that's what color it was today. I've been traveling pretty hard since August, and today was the first day off I've taken in several weeks. But what a day it was.

Last night I played a house concert in Alamogordo, New Mexico. It was well-attended and lots of fun, and was made particularly special by the under-four-foot crowd, some of whom were under three. It was my fourth time playing for these folks, who have been hosting a monthly concert series here for years. They rotate between several homes, and share promotional and organizational duties. It's very well-done, and always a joy to stop in.

Each time I've been here, though, it's been only a quick stop. Until today I'd never made the time to go to White Sands National Park, in spite of the fact that it's only a half-hour away. Is it possible to fall in love with a big pile of sand? I may have.

I spent a lazy morning sleeping in, and drove out to White Sands around noon. I parked at a stop where there were no other cars, grabbed a bag with a sandwich, some drinks and my camera, and headed into the desert. I followed my shadow, thinking that I would head a little left of the sun coming back and end up back with Dan the Tan Van. I noticed a couple of sets of footprints crossing mine ocasionally. To speak more accurately, one was a set of boot prints and the other was a set of footprints. I quickly decided that the latter traveler was the wiser, and slung my own boots over my shoulder, cuffing my jeans so I wouldn't take too much of the sand home. I grew up on the white beaches of Sarasota, Florida, and it felt both pleasant and familiar to dig my feet past the warm top layer into the cool sand below.

I spent about four hours in that silence, walking through the dunes, sitting and staring, drawing and writing poetry in the sand. Beautiful. I hope next time I can hike in and spend three or four days.

12/7, Gillette, WY

I made my way from there to Texas, where I played five shows in five days, then boogied home to enjoy Thanksgiving Day with my family. On the next two days I had CD release parties at the Grey Eagle and Six String Cafe, where we introduced my new double-live CD, Good Tar. We also turned out my new box set that weekend, which includes all six of the CD titles. Between box sets and double-live CDs I'm feeling like quite the rock star! Seriously, though, the support has been gratifying, and it's good to have the new record out.

The day after the Six String release party I flew to Gillette, Wyoming, where I now sit. It's hard to believe that I've had seven years of relationship with the school system here, but it's true. On Monday we'll do the final presentation for the residency I've been doing here with my friend Joe. It incorporates poetry, photography and web design into a program designed to encourage self-expression, self-awareness and self-esteem among at-risk high school students. Today was the last day of classes, and I'm scheduled to fly home Tuesday. The kids have done a great job, and squeaked under the deadline today, finishing within the last five minutes of class. So tonight I'm watching mindless TV and writing this long-overdue note. If you'd like to check out some of the student poetry and photography, go to http://cyberkids.ccsd.k12.wy.us/Westwood/default.html

Besides the release of my own new CD, the biggest news for me lately is that I won the Songs Inspired By Literature contest in California, and will be included on their fund-raising CD project in the Spring. Aside from my song Dark and Deep (inspired by Robert Frost's Stop By Woods on a Snowy Evening) and nine other contest winners, the CD will include cuts from Emmy Lou Harris, Aimee Mann, Grace Slick, Suzanne Vega and Bruce Springsteen. How cool is that?!?! I'll be sure to let you know when the CD is available.

I've been asked to sing in January at the closing ceremonies for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. That would be a great honor at any time, but I feel especially privileged to participate in that event now, with our nation at war. Martin Luther King, Jr. was no stranger to unprovoked attacks, and certainly did not live in a protected world or have a naive view of human nature. Yet his life supported his stated view that "The ultimate weakness of violence is that it is a descending spiral, begetting the very thing it seeks to destroy. Instead of diminishing evil, it multiplies it... Through violence you may murder the hater, but you do not murder hate. In fact, violence merely increases hate.... Returning violence for violence multiplies violence, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars." Through his steady faith, commitment and action he took great steps toward winning a struggle that violence would have set back. What a fine example, and one that I am honored to honor.

I hope you're managing to find some peace and stillness in the rush of the pre-holiday season. Thanks, as always, for checking in,

David