Deep in the stacks of notes and old photos
Ones marked important and shuffled aside
I keep an old file of stories and pictures
In a shoebox all careworn by passage of time

Not a real box, it’s the figurative kind
In a well hidden, guarded, corner of mind
Store all of my greatest memories there
So when I come visit the image is clear

Inside there’s a picture (truth be told there’s a lot)
They’re hazy old Polaroids and lazy snapshots
But I’ve got a favorite, I keep it on top
Protect it from loss when I’m cleaning up shop

The subjects, a young man and younger girl still
Anxiously waiting to gather their fill
The first sights of long hair and colored balloons
Sounds just like a carnival, smells like one too

A guy in a bright woven sweater of wool
Getting hassled for cannabis (which sells like hot cakes)
The cops give a warning and everything’s cool
They smile and he thanks them for getting a break

Into the show to observe the mystique
The crowd as diverse as the visions they seek
All funneling into a crumbling rink
The new one being built right beside it I think

A couple concessions, something to eat
An overpriced t-shirt you’ll hold at your seat
Get to your section and flow through the crowd
Their joy and their happiness broadcast out loud

Sit for a second and gather yourself
Take it all in, collect all the wealth
Speculations concerning the opening tune
“They played that on Friday, I think it’s too soon.”

Fashionably late, the house lights go down
The sold out arena erupts with a roar
Under a state of the art lighting rig
An aging guitarist stands draped in his flaws

A minute of tuning, a noodle or two
A word with the others about what to do
They nod to each other, decision’s been made
A ghostly conductor now starts the parade

My soul just feels lighter and seeks every note
Vibrations encircle me just like a moat
Shielding the darkness, reflecting the light
“In the strangest of places if you look at it right”

Let’s make this a habit, I’m certainly hooked
Like a beautiful freak show, you can’t help but look
It’s not just the music I love the whole thing
The sights and the people just make my heart sing

I’m still taking pictures, it’s been 30 years
Millions of smiles and miles and tears
When I see a show and I feel like it rocked
I snap a few photos to add to my box

I just put a new one on top of the stack
That’s what compelled me to take a look back
When seeing my favorites, found this to be true
The best photographs all contain me and you.