James Varda – May my place – a suitable epitaph for a great musician and man.

James will always have a place in this world. He lived it, breathed it and shone it back at us through his songs, his warmth and his passion. If you were fortunate enough to see him perform, talk to him and hear his music you could not help but be moved by his personality. He brought intelligence, emotion and skill to bear with great panache.

This song is typical of the greatness of his last album, his legacy to the world. It is full of that determination to wring every last drop of love and adoration out of every second. You can feel his emotion.

We’re all on that journey and we know it will have that same inevitability. What James leaves me with is a determination to appreciate the sheer joy of living and wonder of being alive in this amazing universe on this incredible planet.

We should all set sail with determination to follow our dreams and live our life to the full no matter how long or short it may prove to be. It is in the living of the moments that it has its meaning and fulfilment. We should do our best to help each other on that journey so that they too can find their worth. It is only by chance we are here and our time is short. It is precious.

James inspired me.

That’s what great artists do. And James was great.

Let My Place

Life is a journey

To a place 

Somewhere

In the bright morning 

Destinations seem many

But as the tea is served

And the moon starts to rise

We can see where the road is heading

Still there may be time to take a turn

So let my place be a broad leafed wood in springtime

With many paths that run deep to its heart

And let my place be a house on an eastern shore 

Whose doors are open wide

Let my place be a garden, an orchard to provide

Life is a journey 

On a slowly rising tide

Wave on wave

Islands slip from view

But if the sail is set

And the wind should rise

There’s a chance to cross your ocean

There’s a chance to find your shore

And let my place be a sound, the colour of a church

With windows lit in deep blue light, flooding sky and earth

And let my place be a rhythm, supple and assured

On which a melody can build and rise and words can find their worth

Let my place be a chord, that echoes through the years

Let my place be an affirmation, a handshake, a “Yes!”

Let my place

Be somewhere

And if I cannot see

Reveal this place to me

© James Varda 2014