Poetry Thursday

Inspired by Ad Tacitum: Renderings from Tacitus by Kevin McFadden
posted on Poetry Daily July 6, 2006


Ad McCartney: Renderings from Paul McCartney

I spent my early life
upstairs on a bus
before they built the road
off the straight and narrow
chasing the running stream
in the heart of the country
where the holy people grow.

There wasn’t any reason left
in the town where I was born
beneath the blue suburban skies,
the fool on the hill
can be heard across
the even landscape.

The silver vibration of a note
in the hall of the great cathedral;
something inside
without a suitcase,
creeping like a nun.

I don’t care how I do it
I will hold you as long as you like,
and when I go away
don’t ever ask me why.
Set aside arrangements to be made
as each green blade stretches for the sun.


Blackbird Singing: Poems and Lyrics 1965-1999, Paul McCartney
Pages referenced to the Norton hardback edition, 2001

Stanza 1: 23.1, 23.5, 23.13, 26.15, 27.5, 28.4, 28.10
Stanza 2: 32.19, 39.1, 44.10, 49.29, 58.3, 59.4
Stanza 3: 79.5, 86.6, 110.7, 111.5, 111.6
Stanza 4: 128.3, 149.5, 154.1, 154.18, 162.7, 174.3