My first poem for John

Peace ~ John Denver

My first poem for John

To John

From when I first heard your inspiring song,

And you became my very own bright star,

I followed you for more than half my life,

And, because of you, I travelled far.

Because you often told me of their beauty,

I crossed the ocean to the Rocky Mountains,

And once I bought a golden leaf in Aspen,

And threw a lucky coin into the fountain.

I watched a mountain storm strike firey forks

From Trail Ridge Road, high in the national park.

I saw a glacier and a frozen lake

Beneath cloud filled skies, frowning and dark.

You always lifted dark clouds in my thoughts,

Showed me the rainbow following on beyond.

You gave me faith and hope when times were bad,

And helped me celebrate the better ones.

You sang of 'Sunshine' when my first child was born.

Your 'morning bells' describe my second one.

At a concert you reached to my unborn child

And touched his soul while still within the womb.

Now you are gone and I have lost a friend,

But I still have your gifts to keep you near.

I will not think so much that you have gone

But how good it is that you were ever here.

The Never Summer Mountains overlook the higher reaches of the Colorado River

I wrote this poem a few days after John died. I was remembering all of the ways he had infuenced my life, and how he had been there through many special times.

I first saw him in 1972 on the BBC 2 shows.

My first concert was at the London Palladium in 1976.

In 1979 my husband and I enjoyed a wonderful touring holiday in Colorado. I had always wanted to visit the USA, but the choice of Colorado was because of John.

When my first child was born 'Sunshine on My Shoulders' was played for me on the hospital radio. I used to call my son my little sunshine because of that, and it became his song.

I used to sing 'For Baby (For Bobbie)' to my daughter to get her to sleep at night, so that is her song.

In 1988 I went to a concert at the NEC Birmingham. I was seven months pregnant with my third child at the time. Eight years later, at his own request, he came with us to our last concert in Cardiff in 1997. I like to think his interest had something to do with his hearing John sing before he was born.

The last two lines of the poem are more or less what Tom Crum said at John's memorial service, although I didn't know this at the time.

I am so grateful that John was a part of my life.

"And the wind will whisper your name to me,

Little birds will sing along in time.

Leaves will bow down when you walk by,

And morning bells will chime."

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