Early 2024 Fossicking Trip – Part 27, “Watch the World Spin in Waves… I Threw Stones at the Stars” (Isakov’s “The Stable Song”), Sunday 17 March

Two days without a fossick! The rain and wind and cold and maybe the need for rest and renewing of energy, all keeping me inside. So I did two things – reviewed my finds so far, picking out my favourite 24. And I listened to music more than usual.

Five favourite dark red jaspers that I picked out:

Five lighter coloured reddish and pink stones that I find very appealing:

Four stunning stones with significant white or light-coloured elements:

Seven of my valued finds that are yellow-orange in colour:

And the final three are gorgeous greens:

Listening to music over these two days, I got the chance to deepen my appreciation for Gregory Alan Isakov’s “The Stable Song”, chanced upon sometime during the past year. Commentators all hold a great respect for the song, praising its intelligence, tenderness and beauty (e.g., jamesdennard.com and folkalley.com). Though they differ on what the song is about, the meaning of the lyrics (which can be found after the YouTube clip below) proving elusive. The lyricist himself says it’s just a poem about everything. It’s maybe about songwriting and inspiration and success, and, yes, about things in life that mean a lot, like music and stones and diamonds and coal…

“The Stable Song”
by Gregory Alan Isakov

Remember when our songs were just like prayers
Like gospel hymns that you caught in the air
Come down, come down, sweet reverence
Unto my simple house and ring
And ring

Ring like silver, ring like gold
Ring out those ghosts on the Ohio
Ring like clear day wedding bells
Were we the belly of the beast or the sword that fell?
We’ll never tell

Come to me cold and clean
On that sea
Watch the world spin in waves
On that machine

Now I’ve been crazy, couldn’t you tell?
I threw stones at the stars, but the whole sky fell
Now I’m covered up in straw, belly up on a table
Well, I laughed and drank, and passed in the stable

That tall grass grows high and brown
Well, I dragged you straight in the muddy ground
And you sent me back to where I roam
Well, I cursed and I cried, but now I know
Oh, and now I know

Yeah, and I ran back to that hollow again
The moon was just a sliver back then
Yeah, and I ached for my heart like some tin man
When it came, oh, it beat and it boiled and it rang
It’s ringing

Ring like crazy, ring like hell
Turn me back toward that wild-haired gale
Ring like silver, ring like gold
Turn these diamonds straight back into coal…

*******

Part 28 features a Gemstone Beach fossick after some rain which raised the flow of the Taunoa Stream and pushed the Waimeamea River to breach its lagoon barrier. The Series Index is here.