A song by or for David

Giovanni’s Room by James Baldwin

I was randomly listening to music from my college years while organizing my notebooks this morning. Yes, I have multiple paper notebooks—one for the podcast, one for my knitting projects, one as a commonplacebook, and one for each FrizzLit book club/class, so that’s currently a James Baldwin notebook and a Chekhov notebook—because nothing beats thick paper and my choice of pen. This morning it’s my rose gold Faber-Castell fountain pen ✒️ in navy blue ink. Fancy pants.

Ramble ramble. Anyway, I had a lovely synchronicity this morning. Everything’s connected, I always say. I was taking notes from last night’s class on Baldwin’s Giovanni’s Room, where we discussed the first part of Part 2, and how there is a…let me be delicate so there are no spoilers…difficulty to let go and love. Push-pull, if you will. And then I heard the protagonist talking to me through my earbuds. It was eerie.

So hopefully Mr. William Corgan of the Smashing Pumpkins will encourage you to read this beautiful, tragic novel about someone who doesn’t know how to love. Baldwin’s novels are all about love in some fashion; this one is…well, every coin has two sides, right?

Hummer

Faith lies in
The ways of sin
I chased the charmed
But I don't want them anymore

And in their eyes I was alive
A fool's disguise
Take me away from you

Shame my tongue
Fat with promise all along
But when I woke up from that sleep
I was happier than I'd ever been

When you decide
That your life is a prize
Renew and revive
It's alright honey
It's alright, yeah

Happiness will make you wonder
Will I feel OK?
It scares the disenchanted
Far away

Yeah I want something new
But what am I supposed to do about you
Yeah I love you, it's true

Life's a bummer
When you're a hummer
Life's a drag

Ask yourself a question
Anyone but me
I ain't free

Ask yourself a question
Anyone but me
I ain't free

Do you feel
Love is real?

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