1. |
Through the Door
02:12
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Early September walk
through this suburban New York street.
I spot a tree already beginning
to dust off her earth-toned fall jacket--
her neighbors clinging on
to their summer green
like we all cling on
to our hopes and dreams.
Of course we all wish
this were easier;
like we could just open up
that light blue door we saw,
face down on the street
by the curb of the newly renovated house,
and hop through into a future
with less hate--with more love.
But brick-by-brick
we gotta build the world
that we see fit.
We're all in this together.
Let's make this world a home
with peace and love for everyone.
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2. |
To Exist and to Refuel
04:10
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The northwestern wind blows through our hair,
sculpting it like a wildfire
or seaweed under the bay.
You laugh at mine and say
"you should wear it like that more."
I say "as long as you do too,"
and we decide to continue on this walk
along the beach on a Sunday
that couldn't be
much more beautiful.
Some boats speed along crafting wake
like a song you sing when you're a few drinks deep:
choppy, but wonderful.
A nearby kayak sings along,
bouncing on the bay's tapping feet.
Like an abstract work of art,
these things seem random at the start,
but if you take some time you'll see
how it all collects to be
something so very beautiful.
And life needs moments just like these,
some time to exist
and to refuel.
So now, I'm filled with calm and hope
and a love for you I know
will always get me through.
Get me through.
Love gets us through.
Now back at home we cozy up
in our own way:
me by losing in chess, and you
by taking time to color
strictly in the lines.
Our mindfulness attempts
bringing both of us peace.
And like everyone,
we need it now more than ever before.
This silence reassures
that the world can still be beautiful.
Today, filled with moments just like these,
we take time to exist and to refuel.
Now we're both filled with calm and hope
and a love that we know
will always get us through.
Get us through.
Love will get us through.
Here's to days like this
and finding many more
like treasure hidden beneath
the calendar's floor.
Days like this, they us through.
Peace and beauty blooms.
And our love too--
it gets us through.
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3. |
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Sunday morning coffee
sitting quietly next to me,
its heat escaping
on this somewhat-sunny morning--
off to go exploring.
I follow its trail until it disappears
into my surroundings.
Into a morning full of everything
and nothing.
Some laundry watches the cars pass by
this fairly busy street;
the sound of a small plane up above
(so proud of itself it seems);
you rest your eyes
a little while longer, and I smile
at the sight it brings
into a morning
full of everything and nothing.
Taking just a bit of time
to sit in silence in this world
that can so easily pass you by.
Oh I try not to think
of a plan for the day,
just some time celebrating
a morning full of everything
and nothing.
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4. |
Piercing Through the Fog
01:42
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5. |
Promise/Pulley
02:19
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"Can I side with the darkness?
I didn't ever think I would,
but there's something in the air lately
telling me that it may be good.
I don't want to believe it.
I've been keeping this to myself
so you don't think I'm a failure--
so you don't tell me to do something else."
When you fall,
hold out your hands to those you love.
We're always there for you.
You're not in this alone.
One day at a time we'll see it through.
You're strong,
and I believe in you.
Action starts slow and steady:
open up to someone you love.
Asking for help isn't a sign of weakness,
it's a sign you're gonna rise above.
So if that weight on your shoulders
ever feels like crushing blues
let this promise be your pulley,
let love lift the burden off of you.
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6. |
Imagined Landscape
03:15
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Standing on the edge of something new,
but something exciting.
An opportunity to build
the kind of happiness we see
in our heads and our hearts; to plant into place
our imagined landscape
one stroke at a time,
and slowly but surely
we can watch it come alive.
So tomorrow is on the rise
and now we feel it.
Let's take this step,
hand-in-hand, side-by-side
To the packing paper
wrapping each item
with no judgement on whether
it was remembered or forgotten
The click of the marker
and the squeak against the cardboard.
The little signs that you're standing
on the cusp of something wonderful.
We're on the cusp of something wonderful.
Sing it slow
Swing softly.
Hand-in-hand.
Side-by-side
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7. |
A Lantern and a Dream
03:17
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You found me in the light.
Now could you find me in the dark
if I brought some kerosene,
a lantern, and a dream
that that our love can make a spark?
You know I never shy away
from an adventure or a thrill.
So I say bring it on,
play our records until dawn
because we haven't had our fill.
Now we've lived and learned.
Hardship only helped us grow.
A symphony will never beat
someone singing in the streets
because it's in the cracks and folds
that true beauty can be found.
And we've got love
in our sights. So now
let's raise our glass
full of promise and the chance
for our future to shine bright.
Hand in hand,
hearts beating in time.
This is our year.
I can feel it.
A heatwave
and such little rain,
but so much change.
Anxiety is palpable.
I know fear loves to shout hate
from the rooftop of our minds.
But we're stronger
than what makes us suffer.
With some kerosene,
a lantern, and a dream
our love can make a spark.
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8. |
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The sun covers the island
in blinding heat.
You've always been a little tougher than me.
You say, "I really don't mind. You know,
it is summer after all!
Let's share a drink
and toast all the big and small reasons to smile."
Life won't always follow
the plans you've made.
It doesn't color in the lines.
You'll find beauty and you'll find heartache;
but you'll find yourself along the way
if you're doing it right.
Now, through the filter
of a July night,
the world can really come alive
even in the toughest times.
So thanks
to the fireflies in the yard,
distant fireworks, and the spark
that you bring to my life.
Take the time
for yourself,
for happiness to shine.
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9. |
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These days bleed together when you're not looking,
each one no different from the last.
We're speed reading every chapter of a year
full of so much importance,
so much heartache, and so much fear.
I look out the window
at the swarm of streetlights
keeping guard over the parking lot across the way.
Its emptiness resonating in us all:
we look for an answer
but come up with nothing to say.
And I, you know I'm dreamin' of the other side.
We all wanna know what it's like
when all this goes away.
But now, it's time to do what we can.
So come on, grab a corner and
lift love into your heart today.
A train passes by with some good things to say,
tagged with "hope" on its side
over and over again.
But we can't wait to be asked.
It's our time to act. Let's roll up our sleeves
and move this mountain.
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10. |
A Return to the Light
01:36
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And in darkness, light again.
Bursting forth—ink
swirls on paper
like a flock of birds against the sky:
there is order somewhere
in this chaos.
I imagine you draped in moonlight—
a violet wash overtaking you. A smile
as you walk home. Buried
deep within that moment
a vision dances
across the night.
In a world we will never know
all the answers written
in the life around us.
We are order. We are chaos.
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11. |
Just Tonight
02:17
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You grab your keys and you head out the door.
Finding love, maybe for tonight,
maybe on the dance floor.
The simple kiss of the rhythm finds you there:
Caught in between your passion
and this moment that we share.
I don't mind if you don't mind.
Desire burning bright.
I don't mind if you don't mind.
We'll share our heartbeats for tonight.
Morning comes and you find that nothing's changed.
The sun is burning but the warmth you found
it always goes away.
Love's a target that's so easy to miss.
So you aim a little off-center
and you look for just one kiss.
I don't mind if you don't mind.
Desire burning bright.
I don't mind if you don't mind.
We'll share our heartbeats for tonight.
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12. |
Subtle Noises
02:00
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I take a breath
and listen to the silence of the room:
the conversation
of the birds perched on the wire outside,
the neighbor in the hallway, pulling keys
out from their pocket.
These subtle noises come to life
as the heavy construction equipment
rest the deep baritone of their voices
for Monday morning's opera
of scheduled trackwork.
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13. |
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When I go to bite my lip,
I can taste the balm
you must have put on at some point
before we kissed
on your way to take a bath.
These little memories,
taste and scent,
inexplicably important and tied to happiness
like a balloon around a child's wrist.
I raise it up and down in my mind
as I bring my lower lip back
against my tongue
and let the faint hint of coconut
take me down the hall, through the door,
and into your heart.
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14. |
Listen. Learn. Act.
03:13
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The morning sunlight shines.
It chases me down the hallway
as I pour my coffee,
take a seat by the window to reflect
and read Robin DiAngelo's wise words.
Trying to do my best to absorb and learn.
But this is not about me.
It's about doing what we can
to bring this injustice to an end.
So listen, learn, and act
all you can.
Systemic racism must end.
It must end.
It must end now.
So let's all do what we can
to bring this injustice to an end.
So listen, learn, and do all you can.
Systemic racism must end.
It must end.
It must end now.
Do what you can.
Bring this injustice to an end.
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15. |
Untitled
01:54
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16. |
Hillside
02:51
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Daylight pours down
on the road up ahead
and this row of houses
soaks up what it can.
On this beautiful day we feel inspired,
we believe that it's a start--
that something so simple can bring
hope into our hearts.
Our mind
it races with the plans
we want to make
and the birds shout their support
from the treetops down the way.
Something so simple
can play such a profound part
in bringing us back to life and bringing
hope into our hearts.
We point out the houses we like
along the way
with their New England vibes,
odd sizes, unusual shapes.
This tiny gesture, this simple walk,
it's a moment to restart.
So we smile and let the world around us bring
hope into our hearts.
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17. |
Finding Home
04:00
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You put your head to your pillow,
and as your thoughts race around
do they return to me?
Now a country apart.
The world that we once knew
has vanished so easily.
We treat the future like a cipher,
a code that we both try to crack
as if it has the answers we've been looking for;
but now I think it's just a canvas:
blank until our actions stain--
the paint that shapes what's to come.
And you're the landscape
that brings me to life.
You're a lovesong born
out of red wine.
So here's to the philosophy
that we can write
drunk on our time.
Now I've been getting up early,
walking just to clear my mind
through the sturdy white oak trees
trying to let their wisdom guide me
help me to weather this storm
to pick our love back up on its feet
And if I call will you
answer sometime?
Or have you learned back home
that you were right?
To hell with then or what's to come
We've got now, right?
Just come to me tonight.
Now come with me, come with me.
(Far away I wonder the very same thing).
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18. |
Keep Going
01:54
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We close our eyes
dreaming of a better time
doing what we can
right now to survive
Take my hand
let's try whatever the hell can
to keep our hope and our hearts
beating in time
I do
believe
what we want can be
within our reach
With you
by my side
through this hell
through these darker times
We'll stand,
we'll fight,
we'll make our way
to the other side.
We'll stand,
we'll fight.
It may not be what we asked for
or what we wanted
all this pain
all this loneliness
But we can take the time to learn
take the time to change
we can take the time
to make things right
We'll stand,
we'll fight,
we'll make our way
to the other side.
We'll stand,
we'll fight.
we'll make our way.
We'll stand,
we'll fight.
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19. |
Shrug to Violet
02:51
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Empty parking lot and empty streets.
The sun coming down behind the peaks
of our houses. We all watch the clouds
shrug to violet
from behind our windows as best we can.
Anxiety becoming our new romance.
As we're stuck inside we try
to accept, not to fight it.
Oooo, what a mess.
In all this sadness, all this stress,
can we try to let the worst
bring out our best?
We're now very familiar with our walls:
the color, the shape, imperfections and all--
the scuff whose origins
you try to trace.
The small mysteries that now fill up our time
have a lot they can teach us,
like when it's time to unwind
bring in joy, give out love. Be kind.
Oooo, what a mess.
In all this sadness, all this stress,
can we try to let the worst
bring out our best?
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20. |
Hearts Above
02:16
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Moving along
down the week
it's much harder than it seems
Lately it is all a blur
You know we trying our hardest
just to stay afloat
keep our hearts and keep our minds above
We know we'll make it through
Together there's nothing we can't do
Everybody if you're with me
everybody if you're really with me tonight
raise your hands
raise your hearts
let's do it right
Moving along
the best we can
You know together we're gonna
make it happen
Everybody if you're with me
everybody if you're really with me tonight
raise your hands
raise your hearts
let's do it right
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Our Twilight Pastime New York, New York
Hi, I'm Michael Goldense. I've used the name Our Twilight Pastime since 2004 for the music I write & record at home. Check out my latest EP, Reimagined Static. I also released an album "The Light of What We Are" under my own name in 2017.
Our Twilight Pastime recommends:
The Light of What We Are
by Michael Goldense
My 2017 album The Light of What We Are, released as Michael Goldense
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