PAINTING STUDIO And The Trans Siberian Orchestra Page Two
Some of you know that in addition to being a life long fine arts painter and sometimes bad poet I am also Maitre d' at Jim's Steak House in downtown Peoria, Illinois. Last winter I met several members of the Trans Siberian Orchestra and crew when they dinned at Jim's. I really got along well with Al Pitrelli and his wife Jane Mangini. We had a great time and when they left the restaurant it felt as though we were old freinds.
Last Thursday the Trans Siberian Orchestra played to a sold out house at the Peoria Civic Center. I took off work on Wednesday night thinking that perhaps Al and Jane would dine at Jim's the night before the concert. I called the bartender around 7:30 in the evening and asked if there were any guests that looked like rock stars. He told me that there were quite a few and I took a taxi to the steak house.
On the bridge as the taxi sped across the river Missy my driver said, " Kinda late for you to be going to work." I told her that I was going to see some friends who were having dinner. I then wondered if they would even remember me. Being on tour they meet so many people.
I gave the dining room a quick scan and spotted Al and Jane. When I approached their table Al jumped up
with a big smile and gave me a hug. Jane did the same. They told me how disappointed they were when they did not see me at the podium and how glad they were to see me.
Al is the band leader and lead guitar for TSO. His wife Jane does more than just play the keyboard, she makes music. After dinner we visited in the piano bar at Jim's and had some drinks. Jane played a very moving piece on the piano that nearly brought me to tears. After the applause Jane returned to her seat. I was seated between Al and Jane. Al said, " Jane, I have never heard you play that piece. When did you write it?" She said, " I composed it just now. " With a smile. I told Jane that she made a grown man cry. She looked me in the eyes, and then gave me a big hug and a kiss.
Al was band leader and lead guitar for Alice Cooper's world tour and has had affiliations with Asia, Blue Oyster Cult, Megadeth, Savatage, Danger Danger, Vertex, and others. He and his wife Jane have an ongoing band called O'2L that has received critical acclaim.
We had a great night and a wonderful visit. As they left the steak house we could not get enough hugs and kisses. A very memorable evening.
During the concert on Thursday night Al mentioned Jim's Steak House to the sold out crowd of 8,000......twice. The second time told the crowd that they were going to come back to Peoria just to go to Jim's Steak House. The crowd roared.
As ever be well. Stephen Craig Rowe
http://www.o2lmusic.com/
Sunday, January 13, 2008
Sunday, December 16, 2007
PAINTING STUDIO SILENT NIGHT
I wrote this piece in December of 2,005 and am re-posting it today.
Silent Night
Stone claws clasp
Ledge high above
The Streets
Gargoyle Wings
Frozen
Carved smile
Silent
Grimace
Blindly stare
As Liberty and
Dragon Dance
Holiday Cheer
Teeming the Streets
With Seasons Spirits
All those feelings
Thoughts, pains, dreams,
and Joys.
An Angel
Wiped snow from the
Gargoyle brow
and wrapped a
Wing around
The Stone Carved
Figure.
Giving sight to
The Blind
and warmed
The Heart
From above
They Sang
Sacred Songs
with no words
In the Silent
Night.
It is snowing as I type.
Have a good-great
Christmas Season
and
As ever be well,
With love.
Stephen Craig Rowe
Silent Night
Stone claws clasp
Ledge high above
The Streets
Gargoyle Wings
Frozen
Carved smile
Silent
Grimace
Blindly stare
As Liberty and
Dragon Dance
Holiday Cheer
Teeming the Streets
With Seasons Spirits
All those feelings
Thoughts, pains, dreams,
and Joys.
An Angel
Wiped snow from the
Gargoyle brow
and wrapped a
Wing around
The Stone Carved
Figure.
Giving sight to
The Blind
and warmed
The Heart
From above
They Sang
Sacred Songs
with no words
In the Silent
Night.
It is snowing as I type.
Have a good-great
Christmas Season
and
As ever be well,
With love.
Stephen Craig Rowe
Thursday, December 06, 2007
Snow Queen.
HALF MOON ON THE EVE OF DECEMBER
Introduction: After work last night I stood in the yard and looked to the sky. Half moon seemed to open the heavens and give me a chance to see the stars. It was all so very clear, still and silent. When I went indoors and sat at the computer my thoughts turned to December, family, friends and the meaning of Christmas.
HALF MOON ON THE EVE OF DECEMBER
The Sky show sparkled after
Midnight as
Winter's chill became
Cold and
Rain turned to Ice.
Warm thoughts
Of those near
And
Far away
are sustinance
Amid the
Clutter and
Glitter of the bustling
Season.
Myth and
Faith mingle
In the Joys,
Memories,
Meanings,
and Merriment.
While the Heavenly Father
Gave life to the
Light of the World
and the
Holy Spirit
Walked
This earth
As Man.
Half Moon
Seemed to open
The Heavens for
A glance at the
Stars
On the
Eve of December.
Half Moon shivered and froze
As she saw her reflection
on the Ice glazed pond
That began to glow
under night sky
As Liberty
Softly scented the
Pines
Half Moon woke the
Heavens and Stars burned bright
In the deep blue night.
A sparkle, wink and chill took
Hold
as She touched the Sky and
Liberty sang one
clear still vibrating note
To crack the ice.
A thrill of a thrilling note,
A song without music or words.
A tone and tune to
cue the heart in the night.
Yet clear and ever knowing,
Ever clear and ever snowing, Ever known
and ever knowing, ever been and
Ever shall be.
Ever been and ever shall be.
Are those wind chimes?
Sparkling in the sky.
What sound is this?
Be they voices from the past, or dreams of the Dragon?
Half Moon and Liberty snickered,
Then gave the Dragon a NUDGE!
Half Moon laughed out loud as
Liberty thwacked the dreaming Dragon on the snout!
And said, into a big old Dragon ear that she had to partialy unfold for it had been slept upon for so very long. " Early in the times, whispers of myth are as clear as my words. Here and now I bid you wake, for the old days and new need you now."
The Dragon gave a Humph! A puff of smoke, a snort and tried to cuddle back into the treasue trove of dreams, ancient times and Dragon dreams. Puff, puff, puff. And Dragon, seemed to doze.
Liberty took her hands and shook the Dragon's head, her wings a flutter about the big smoldering snout. Then said,
" Dragon, wake for the month of December is the month of the old and the new!"
At that, both of the Dragon's eyes glowed wide open and fast awake to view the world all at once.
And the Dragon shed tears for the world of today.
" Dear Liberty, what have they done? " The Dragon cried. Now, I have never seen a Dragon cry, but can you imagine that!
Yes there is a beauty to the myth in human consciousness that is as real as the dream.
Liberty and Dragon
Dance forever
Entwined
Hand in arm,
In hand,
Reflected in
Glass beads
And
Tears
Eternal.
Ever have been and ever shall be.
Of the All.
In December.
As ever be well, again, Stephen Craig Rowe
Introduction: After work last night I stood in the yard and looked to the sky. Half moon seemed to open the heavens and give me a chance to see the stars. It was all so very clear, still and silent. When I went indoors and sat at the computer my thoughts turned to December, family, friends and the meaning of Christmas.
HALF MOON ON THE EVE OF DECEMBER
The Sky show sparkled after
Midnight as
Winter's chill became
Cold and
Rain turned to Ice.
Warm thoughts
Of those near
And
Far away
are sustinance
Amid the
Clutter and
Glitter of the bustling
Season.
Myth and
Faith mingle
In the Joys,
Memories,
Meanings,
and Merriment.
While the Heavenly Father
Gave life to the
Light of the World
and the
Holy Spirit
Walked
This earth
As Man.
Half Moon
Seemed to open
The Heavens for
A glance at the
Stars
On the
Eve of December.
Half Moon shivered and froze
As she saw her reflection
on the Ice glazed pond
That began to glow
under night sky
As Liberty
Softly scented the
Pines
Half Moon woke the
Heavens and Stars burned bright
In the deep blue night.
A sparkle, wink and chill took
Hold
as She touched the Sky and
Liberty sang one
clear still vibrating note
To crack the ice.
A thrill of a thrilling note,
A song without music or words.
A tone and tune to
cue the heart in the night.
Yet clear and ever knowing,
Ever clear and ever snowing, Ever known
and ever knowing, ever been and
Ever shall be.
Ever been and ever shall be.
Are those wind chimes?
Sparkling in the sky.
What sound is this?
Be they voices from the past, or dreams of the Dragon?
Half Moon and Liberty snickered,
Then gave the Dragon a NUDGE!
Half Moon laughed out loud as
Liberty thwacked the dreaming Dragon on the snout!
And said, into a big old Dragon ear that she had to partialy unfold for it had been slept upon for so very long. " Early in the times, whispers of myth are as clear as my words. Here and now I bid you wake, for the old days and new need you now."
The Dragon gave a Humph! A puff of smoke, a snort and tried to cuddle back into the treasue trove of dreams, ancient times and Dragon dreams. Puff, puff, puff. And Dragon, seemed to doze.
Liberty took her hands and shook the Dragon's head, her wings a flutter about the big smoldering snout. Then said,
" Dragon, wake for the month of December is the month of the old and the new!"
At that, both of the Dragon's eyes glowed wide open and fast awake to view the world all at once.
And the Dragon shed tears for the world of today.
" Dear Liberty, what have they done? " The Dragon cried. Now, I have never seen a Dragon cry, but can you imagine that!
Yes there is a beauty to the myth in human consciousness that is as real as the dream.
Liberty and Dragon
Dance forever
Entwined
Hand in arm,
In hand,
Reflected in
Glass beads
And
Tears
Eternal.
Ever have been and ever shall be.
Of the All.
In December.
As ever be well, again, Stephen Craig Rowe
Friday, November 09, 2007
SAUDADE
9/17/2007
Talking About Saudade * Missing You
SAUDADE,
A poem in my own words inspired by JouElam+SophiE http://Eloha.spaces.live.com
INTRODUCTION: SAUDADE is a Portugese word that was given
to me in love and friendship. I can not translate this word, I
can only write what I feel.
Saudade
Echo in the valley
Cry in the night
Free and alone
Trickle in the
moon lit streams
That flow from
My eyes
onto the windows
In the keypad
That scratches
Only a high held note
The Violin
Trembles
Splashing wine
On streets that shine
With tears soaked in
Memory
Of those near and dear.
Of those that have ever been and ever shall be.
Of those that have risen'
Of those that sing
Of those that are
Of the Light and Spirit.
Of the woods, rain, forests, grasses, trees, limbs and
Leaf sparkle
Dew drip dawning
Rainbow brow smile
Reflect the night Sky
Stars
Dance in
The glistening drop
Waving at the shore
Foaming and breaking on the rocks
Receed, Smile at the Moon.
Reflect in the pond
Skipping stones
and remember.
SAUDADE,
Home is where the
Art is, forever home
Or away
Within the All.
SAUDADE! As ever be well. With love, Stephen Craig Rowe
Saudade
Ecoa no vale
pranto na noite
livre e abandonada
lua de fluxos brilhantes
iluminando os minúsculos córregos
que escorrem debruçados
nas janelas dos meus olhos
apenas a tecla em arrepios
tremúlos
é o sustenido
o violino
segurando uma nota altíssima
derramando o vinho do nosso copo
nas ruas encharcadas
pelo cintilar
da memória das lágrimas
de todos os que nos são intímos e queridos.
de todos aqueles que sempre foram,estiveram
são, estão, serão e estarão connosco
todos aqueles
que cantam
todos aqueles que são
luz do espírito
dos bosques, das florestas , das chuvas , da relva , das arvores , dos troncos , das folhas
faísca
gota d' orvalho amanhecendo
sorriso na sobrancelha do arco-íris
estrelas
reflectidas no Céu noturno
A Stephen Craig Rowe Poem
Translation And Adaptation By JouElam
A very touched thank you to our Dear Friend Stephen
Author's note: It is I who thank you. You are in my thoughts and prayers. As ever be well. With love. Stephen Craig Rowe
Talking About Saudade * Missing You
SAUDADE,
A poem in my own words inspired by JouElam+SophiE http://Eloha.spaces.live.com
INTRODUCTION: SAUDADE is a Portugese word that was given
to me in love and friendship. I can not translate this word, I
can only write what I feel.
Saudade
Echo in the valley
Cry in the night
Free and alone
Trickle in the
moon lit streams
That flow from
My eyes
onto the windows
In the keypad
That scratches
Only a high held note
The Violin
Trembles
Splashing wine
On streets that shine
With tears soaked in
Memory
Of those near and dear.
Of those that have ever been and ever shall be.
Of those that have risen'
Of those that sing
Of those that are
Of the Light and Spirit.
Of the woods, rain, forests, grasses, trees, limbs and
Leaf sparkle
Dew drip dawning
Rainbow brow smile
Reflect the night Sky
Stars
Dance in
The glistening drop
Waving at the shore
Foaming and breaking on the rocks
Receed, Smile at the Moon.
Reflect in the pond
Skipping stones
and remember.
SAUDADE,
Home is where the
Art is, forever home
Or away
Within the All.
SAUDADE! As ever be well. With love, Stephen Craig Rowe
Saudade
Ecoa no vale
pranto na noite
livre e abandonada
lua de fluxos brilhantes
iluminando os minúsculos córregos
que escorrem debruçados
nas janelas dos meus olhos
apenas a tecla em arrepios
tremúlos
é o sustenido
o violino
segurando uma nota altíssima
derramando o vinho do nosso copo
nas ruas encharcadas
pelo cintilar
da memória das lágrimas
de todos os que nos são intímos e queridos.
de todos aqueles que sempre foram,estiveram
são, estão, serão e estarão connosco
todos aqueles
que cantam
todos aqueles que são
luz do espírito
dos bosques, das florestas , das chuvas , da relva , das arvores , dos troncos , das folhas
faísca
gota d' orvalho amanhecendo
sorriso na sobrancelha do arco-íris
estrelas
reflectidas no Céu noturno
A Stephen Craig Rowe Poem
Translation And Adaptation By JouElam
A very touched thank you to our Dear Friend Stephen
Author's note: It is I who thank you. You are in my thoughts and prayers. As ever be well. With love. Stephen Craig Rowe
Saturday, October 06, 2007
Overturn Bush Veto
Thanks for writing to your members of Congress about Bush’s veto of children’s health care. The letter you sent is below.
If you haven’t yet, be sure to tell your friends:
http://www.democrats.org/RejectBush
From Stephen Craig Rowe
To
Ray LaHood (R), Richard Durbin (D), Barack Obama (D)
Subject
Children's Health Insurance Program
Message
President Bush vetoed the State Children's Health Insurance Program. As a life long fine arts painter and poet I know that my works have inspired others to go on and do good works for the betterment. I am a proud veteran yet all of my 60 years have seen wars and wasted money spent on killing rather than healing. It makes me sad that This Great Nation serves those who are with out conscience to serve themselves with total disreguard, and oblivious to the needs of the people, the children, the elderly that still hold holy the dream of the American people.Oh, some votes will come from the internet and this will be childs play. Those who register and vote will make the call. Override the veto of President Bush and serve the American people, serve the children of your community, for the children are your legacy and the American dream. Be well. Stephen Craig Rowe
If you haven’t yet, be sure to tell your friends:
http://www.democrats.org/RejectBush
From Stephen Craig Rowe
To
Ray LaHood (R), Richard Durbin (D), Barack Obama (D)
Subject
Children's Health Insurance Program
Message
President Bush vetoed the State Children's Health Insurance Program. As a life long fine arts painter and poet I know that my works have inspired others to go on and do good works for the betterment. I am a proud veteran yet all of my 60 years have seen wars and wasted money spent on killing rather than healing. It makes me sad that This Great Nation serves those who are with out conscience to serve themselves with total disreguard, and oblivious to the needs of the people, the children, the elderly that still hold holy the dream of the American people.Oh, some votes will come from the internet and this will be childs play. Those who register and vote will make the call. Override the veto of President Bush and serve the American people, serve the children of your community, for the children are your legacy and the American dream. Be well. Stephen Craig Rowe
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