The following lyrics were created for the musical stories which were published as our fourteenth collection in 2013 under the title of “Borne.”  Simply click on the images below to go directly to the original story, music and complete lyrics along with other related links.

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Borne

Borne
On every tear that I cried
On every fear
With each time I tried
When I felt all hope was gone
Then something inside said,
“There’s a dream to be born.
So you must press on.”

Borne
With every breath that I draw
On each passing thought
No matter how small
Faith and courage wearing thin
From somewhere deep inside I heard,
“There’s a dream to be born.
You must try again.”

Other lives seemed easy
How I envied their carefree ways
Yet my dreams persisted
Remained bold, insisted that
There was no choice to stray

Still my dreams demanded
Loyalty unwavering
Determined to stay

Borne
From every time that I fell
Shook off the grit
Then righted myself
Even when things seemed to go wrong
I thought once again, that
My dream is at stake
So I will be strong

Who I am and will be
Continues
As yearnings take form
There’s a dream to be born

“Borne” is a powerful testament to resilience and the unyielding nature of personal calling, playing on the dual concepts of enduring hardship and bringing a vision to life. Despite moments of deep exhaustion, failure, and envy toward those with easier paths, the narrator is driven by an internal voice that demands loyalty to their purpose—in this case, bringing a new life into the world. Ultimately, the song frames struggle not as a barrier, but as the essential labor through which strength is forged and true identity takes shape while persevering with a dream.

 

Flowing Forever Free

Gazing upon a cloud, I was taken by a dream
Barely aware he was sitting next to me
“A penny for your thoughts” as he offered me a coin
But I told him all my thoughts are free
Unyielding, not tempted by greed

Walking alone, I was taken by a scene
Kids at play, pitting team against team
They took different sides with the flip of a coin
And I wonder if all their thoughts are free
Or traded for the chance to take the lead

Mason jars full of blinking fireflies
Yet the glass can’t hold their light
So they twinkle on throughout the night
Captive, yet free to glow
Simply shimmering on

Sitting on a stone, I was taken by a stream
Smoothing pebbles as it flowed, while appearing so serene
Wading in up to my knees, both feet planted in the sand
Yet the current paid me little heed
Gently swirling all around me
Making its way toward the distant sea
Flowing, forever free

“Flowing Forever Free” is a serene meditation on autonomy, resilience, and the untamed nature of the human spirit. Moving through vignettes of rejecting the commercialization of thought, observing how competition subtly encourages conformity, and marveling at fireflies that shine even while captive, the song illustrates that true inner essence cannot be bought or contained. Concluding with the image of a quiet stream gently flowing around obstacles toward the sea, the lyrics advocate for a life lived gracefully, independently, and aligned with one’s true nature.

 

Isabella

Cappuccino, elbow on the bar
“Ciao Riccardo!” as the morning starts
All the usual suspects are there
Chatting, laughing
Delighted to see Isabella
Smiling, patting

Arrivederci! on to the Utilità
Roberta grins when we ask her, Come va?
There’s a message written across
Our special order
Per Piccolina
Isabella

She makes everybody smile, just like a child
When they look into her eyes, she seems wise
She can soothe a troubled face, clear a fog
Even though she’s just a little dog

Her sweet nature just draws everybody in
Closer, sharing secrets—it seems she has a hint
Though she never says a word
On their faces, it appears as if they heard
Everything they hoped to hear and more

Piccolina! as they rub her ear
Day made brighter, just by drawing near
Changed with everyone that they meet
Chatting, laughing
Turning squarely toward Isabella
Waving, pointing

She makes everybody smile, just like a child
When they look into her eyes, she seems wise
She can soothe a troubled face, clear a fog
Even though she’s just a little dog

“Isabella” is a heartwarming celebration of community, connection, and the simple comfort found in the unconditional affection of a pet. Set against the vibrant, familiar routine of a local neighborhood coffee bar in Italy, the song reveals how a gentle little dog acts as a unifying presence, instantly softening mood and brightening the days of everyone she meets. Through her silent empathy and wise demeanor, Isabella brings out a childlike warmth in the adults around her, proving how a small, joyful presence can become the emotional heart of an entire community.

 

More Than a Dream

Sometimes late at night
Just before the light breaks through
I wake from a dream
To find it’s true
I’m here with you

Turning to watch you sleep
I can hear the sounds of your breathing
Softly repeat, align with mine
Matching breath for breath

Day after day
Scattered throughout are traces
Moments we’ve shared together
Making magic times, ours alone

Through my eyes
I can see our future
All that we hoped and dreamed
Our life to be is coming true

Sometimes late at night
As the moon light streams through the window
More than a dream
I know it’s true
I’m here with you

“More than a Dream” is a tender reflection on the quiet awe of realizing that a deeply cherished romance has crossed over from wishful thinking into tangible reality. Through intimate imagery of synchronized breathing in the dark, cherished daily memories, and a shared vision of the future, the song celebrates a love that provides deep emotional security. Ultimately, it captures the peaceful gratitude of waking up beside someone and finding that everyday life is far better than any dream.

 

Real Eyes

In a fleeting moment
Something captured my eye
Was it real or imagined
Merely a trick of my mind
Just a trick of my mind

Then in another moment
From out of the blue
While completely lost in a daydream
I thought I saw a shadow move
Saw a shadow move

Leaning in closer to make out the form
Scanning the edges and feeling alarmed
Forewarned                                                                                                                                          Searching the fringes for what they might hide
From my eyes
Concealed from my “real” eyes

Whether angels or monsters
Depends on how I see
Only I can shift my viewpoint
The meaning is all up to me
Seeing with “real” eyes
To realize

“Real Eyes” is an insightful meditation on perception, self-awareness, and the power of mindset, built around the clever wordplay between seeing with “real eyes” and coming “to realize.” Beginning with a sense of paranoia over moving shadows and hidden threats, the song shifts into an empowering realization: whether we perceive life’s unknowns as “angels or monsters” depends entirely on our own chosen perspective. Ultimately, the lyrics demonstrate that meaning is not inherent in external events, but actively shaped by how we individually choose to interpret the world around us.

 

Strings Attached

You said I should wait for you
You had some things you just had to do
Waited a day or two
Those turned into quite a few
Wondered if what you said was true

Put all my plans on hold
Bided my time, watching yours unfold
Counted days as they rolled
Numbers higher, tallied and tolled
Noting all those days you stole

Maybe I gave them to you, after all, willingly
Though I counted on you, there were strings ~ unbeknownst
Veiled, hidden from you and from me: lines not to cross, all along
Now I’m filled with remorse, pardon me, if you will
Let’s start again

I’ll wait as long as it takes
Accepting what is, for both our sakes
Keep every promise I make
Watchful, wide awake
Knowing full-well just what’s at stake

“Strings Attached” explores the evolution of patience with a partner or a friend, from quiet resentment to self-aware commitment. Initially tracking the bitterness of putting one’s life on hold, the song turns inward as the narrator realizes their waiting came with unspoken expectations and hidden conditions, the “strings attached.” By acknowledging these unexpressed demands and taking accountability, the narrator requests a fresh start, redefining their patience not as a passive, transactional sacrifice, but as a conscious, eyes-wide-open choice grounded in honesty and acceptance.

 

Taken In

Haven’t you heard it said that
Home is where the heart is
Doesn’t it make you wonder
Where all the broken hearts live

Sometimes to get ahead, make a way
Something or someone gets left behind
Whether forgotten or set aside
Being abandoned is never kind

Hoping for someone who might take you in
Make you feel cared for, wanted once again
Now, that would be home—you’d be home

Right before that moment
When someone happened along just to find you
Scratching, crying, clawing to free yourself from harm
Suddenly swept up, taken in taken in

Suddenly swept up, taken in

Is home a place or a feeling
In a poem, it was written
“when you have to go there
they have to take you in.”

Left behind, by the roadside
The best you can hope for
When you have nothing, nowhere
Then they will have to take you in
Take you in
Take me in

“Taken In” is a poignant reflection on displacement, abandonment, and the fundamental human need for refuge. Dismantling standard cliches about home, the song highlights the cold reality of being left behind while offering a visceral depiction of rescue, capturing the sudden relief of being saved from harm. Drawing on Robert Frost’s notion that “home is the place that has to take you in,” the lyrics shift from a narrative of a roadside stray to a universal plea for compassion, illustrating that true home is not merely a physical location, but an act of opening one’s heart to shelter the lost.

 

The First Time We Met

Etched in my mind
Frozen in time
The day we met

By circumstance or by chance
Who can say just why
Paths intersect

Very first sight
Something felt so right
The first time we met

Somehow I knew just by finding you
My life became
More than I could
Ever expect

Although you were so casual
Just passing nearby
There was something about your face
That clearly captured my eye

When I dared to call your name
You turned and smiled in a way
Like surely we’d met somewhere once before
I was intrigued to know more

Meeting of hearts
Electric spark
The day we met

That stroke of fate seems like yesterday
Time stood still
Locked within
Memories kept

Long ago
A moment not to forget
The first time we met

“The First Time We Met” captures the timeless nostalgia and wonder of a serendipitous encounter that permanently alters the course of a life. Exploring themes of fate and instant recognition, the song highlights the uncanny sense of familiarity and emotional spark that can exist between two strangers. By framing this fleeting moment as “frozen in time” and permanently etched in memory, the lyrics serve as a tribute to how a single chance meeting can divide a life into “before” and “after,” elevating the narrator’s existence beyond anything they had previously imagined.

 

Together Again

Swept the porch and found a vase for the daffodils
There’s kindling on the hearth, ready to start a fire
Glasses sparkle, table’s set, candles wait for lighting
While the wine is chilling
Your favorite song will set the perfect mood
Everything is just for you
Just for you

I can hardly wait to see you
Catch up with what you’ve been doing
Find out if all your dreams have come true

Anticipated this day for so long
Ready and waiting since last we met
Expecting the fun we surely will have

After all these years
There is some mystery, still
Right along with ease in sharing a history
We were, we are, we will
Expecting the fun we surely will have
I hardly can wait . . . please don’t be late

So the plans have all been made, you are on your way
The suitcase has been packed, maybe a bit too heavy
Everything crossed off the list, but you wonder if there’s
Something you’ve forgotten
My favorite song starts playing in your head
Prompting . . . Sweet memories when we last met
Together again . . . Like it used to be . . . Just you and me

“Together Again” is a tender portrait of joyful anticipation, celebrating the enduring warmth of reuniting with a long-time companion after an extended separation. Through details of thoughtful home preparations and parallel perspectives of both the host and the traveler, the song illustrates how care and shared nostalgia bridge the physical distance between two people. Highlighting a bond that balances comfortable familiarity with ongoing curiosity, captured in the phrase “we were, we are, we will,” the lyrics celebrate the rare kind of relationship where time melts away, allowing two people to pick up effortlessly right where they left off.

 

 

Turnings

So many changes, autumn brings
Summer’s gathered grasses
Baled mid-July
Wait to go

All around their edges
The woods are cleared and tidy
Reborn as new vineyards
In the springtime

Once rough, rolling woods turned to fields
Then hard work tamed and turned them to grassy yields
Finally tilled

With care, one day our fields will
Turn to wine

So many changes, autumn brings

“Turnings” uses agricultural transformation as a quiet allegory for personal growth, patience, and the cyclical nature of time. Bookended by reflections on the seasonal shifts of autumn, the song traces how rough, untamed land is gradually cleared, cultivated, and tilled through steady human effort into fruitful vineyards. Through the evocative line “With care, one day our fields will turn to wine,” the lyrics convey an inspiring message of hope and stewardship, illustrating that with patience, dedication, and an acceptance of life’s transitions, raw beginnings can mature into rich, deeply satisfying rewards.

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