Her work, of course, has touched us all,
her songs a joy to last.
Her poetry would sway, enthrall
with mem'ries richly cast.
In Canada her life would start
but illness set her back.
Her Love for music and for art
would set her path on track.
Then off to USA she'd part
to venture Both sides now.
With folk songs etched within her heart,
she knew she'd thrive somehow.
Her style was pure and O so true
and sparked new dreams For free.
Her following with women grew -
an age less bound, they'd see.
She'd sing and share her frank belief:
I don't know where I stand
and All I want (more fun than grief)
to find the perfect man!
And Blue would show her deeper side,
a sadness darkly raw.
With honesty she'd never hide
the beauty she still saw.
But Joni also rued the blot
her Dreamland sadly bore,
with Yellow Taxi ably shot
in satire to its core.
Then ever more she sensed the strain
of social ills and wrong.
In River she'd feel lonely pain
that echoed through her song.
But in romance her heart would soar
and words would wildly Shine.
In Case of You she yearned for more
of that sweet holy wine.
And Woodstock too she blithely praised
a time to love, her plea -
to leave the smog, be stunned, amazed
and let one's soul fly free.
This theme would chime in many ways -
Help me would be her phrase.
This Lucky girl with starlit gaze
would shun prosaic days.
No clouds would shade her proud ascent,
her legacy so vast,
but lasting love, 'twas never meant -
she'd claim: Wild things run Fast!
And California'd be her gift
of constancy she'd own.
This flight tonight would fire and lift
her dreams of coming home.
|