Walking Man

 

 

 

WALKING MAN                                                                                                         Art: Elektra Buhalis                                      

                                                                                                                                            

 

he loved to dance
his bear his wolf his walking man
feet pounding red red road for all he’s worth
his cries rang out to Spirit

born of man and woman he craved the dancing path
to Light
his anguish translated made us laugh                                        
his body honed to hardness
his wit like sword that always cut through bullshit
his Magic
O, his Magic!
mystified across the veil between the worlds
he brought us the unknown
with laughter and with songs

he loved to dance
his snake his eagle his walking man
he pounded earth as if on oaken door
begging entrance to the deep
dark caverns we never knew existed, only he

he loved to dance
his dew-tipped grasses his clacking leaves his walking man
he cried of love and loss the way that all clowns do
through their great pain and sorrow
he surrendered to the Dance and then
this walking man
walked on

 

© 2022 pamela twining

 **Jogger John (John Joseph Synan; Jackie 2 his fam & friends) died on 11/26/22 (the day b4 my birthday 😭) John was one  of the Most Beloved people i/we have ever known or had living amongst us in Woodstock... Ever! I believe he would have been 80 on his next birthday.

i came to Woodstock in July of 1973 & tho i didn't meet him right away, i did come in contact w him through my close friend Morning Star. John was living w her then & i believe he even Named (or contributed to Naming) her first child Andromeda Raindance, and later her son Alpha Centauri Raindance. After a time, he went on his way, living rough for awhile, running through the mountain forests using the old trails & railroad routes all grown over w trees coming up between the ties & displacing the rails. He knew every pathway in the woods every trail every bramble-clogged tunnel every cave. He knew how to survive on his own but the people of the town who Loved him dearly would always give him coffee or a sandwich. He swept and raked and cleaned up Everywhere on the streets of Woodstock and if you didn't see him Sweeping or Raking, you might find him Dancing in the village green or running Backwards up the mountain often singing. He called me "Dancer" and he'd always come dancing through when i danced at the green or at Sha Wu's, engage for a few minutes then dance away, smiling and twirling. His pirouettes were Legendary! 

He was So Proud & Happy when he got his apartment, subsidized housing behind the Bradley Meadows shopping plaza. He could Stay Clean! He could display his Art! There was a short film made about him several years ago: "First Name: Jogger, Last Name: John", a very good short documentary w some of his friends speaking up. I Think I heard that someone's planning another installment.

We're All Super Sad that he's Walked On, but he was a Beautiful Person to know!