Up Sampson Hill
—on the 50th anniversary of friends
There be hippies in those days,
in the woods and Woodstocks, it’s been said,
and in basements listening to the time’s music
played and sung or spun from black vinyl discs
Dylan The Who The Cream The Dead
and melodious women lamenting a paved paradise
or singing gratitude (Gracias La Vida, Joan Baez said)
and James Brown’s funky tricks
and the big mane and mercurial licks & feedback
of a sonic typhoon, Hendrix,
and all with the smoky scent of medicinal herbs
much of this was heard
……and there be youngsters in those days
and greenhorns wed: bearded, mustachioed ones
with ample hair, and beautiful brides— handsome pairs,
without much angst, without huge cares
……and there be special places in those days,
one, up Sampson Hill: a flight of stairs
into a place where friends could hang
under a stained glass lamp
around a table: oaken golden
…..ah, it was a fresh thing then—
and a good place to be
was up Sampson Hill
where the two lovers within
made a good place to be in
There were two lovers up Sampson hill
in those days when greenhorns wed
and of all the many words and vows
spoken by all those young lovers then
only those two, up Sampson hill,
still hold them now it’s said
Jim Culleny 6/3/16
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