New Song - From Supporting Subscriber Concert

The Book of Questions

Hi Everyone, I wanted to post a first listen to a brand new song, “The Book Of Questions”. This video is an excerpt from the full June 5th Supporting Subscriber A Gathering of Spirits Concert. I did several brand new songs in the show :-)

The song came about as a series of questions that could individually work as a writing prompt or one of our community reflection questions. But the song was written so these seemingly random questions work together as a way of exploring the unfolding of a life as well as the large and small memories that give shape to our experience. It was loosely inspired by Jeanne Lohmann’s haunting poem, Questions Before Dark” and Brian Doyles' unique novel, “Cat’s Foot.”

Here are the lyrics from the song.  Does one jump out for you?  What would be your answer or reflection any one of the questions in the song? 


The Book of Questions
Words and Music By Carrie Newcomer

Do you put honey in your tea
Do you let it cool gradually,
Do feel the strange wash of time and memory? 
Have you made peace with your worst day,
Kissed in a busy cafe,
Are there things you feel but you still don't know how to say?

Chorus: Brief as the light on wheels of hay,
All that you've kept or given away
Questions that come before dark at the end of a day

Did you lose a lover or friend
Was there a story that just had to end?
Did you final learn what kept coming around again
Did you work in a bookstore?
Are there things that you don’t do anymore?
Ever watch an oncoming train or gathering storm

Chorus

Did you say yes
Did you say no
Was it true or just wasn't so?
Did land hard or gracefully
Was it not what you planned? 
But right where you needed to be

Have you ever made a grilled cheese,
Ever prayed down on your knees,
Did you love a place you still had to leave?
Did you walk before you crawled,
Have a dog when you were small,
Did make it through but it was such a close call?

Copyright Carrie Newcomer 2022