Grateful Dead Poems | Examples

Jerome John Garcia

Jerome John Garcia
was into smoking reefer
as a guitarist his music was in his head
so he formed The Grateful Dead

Whole Lotta Love

I was a late arrival
born in nineteen fifty-eight,
during the folk revival.
As a kid, music was survival.
Records then sounded great
on a platter or a plate,
like Peter, Paul, and Mary,
and Puff on a seventy-eight.

Later, having no place to go
and no one to meet,
Mr. Tambourine man would show
a wonder I did not know.
In my consciousness, he took a seat, 
I listened o'er and o'er.
I put it on repeat - 
something worth living for.
Chase dreams, he would entreat.

How I remember, in the park,
I heard my first live electric guitar.
At the sound of that spark,
something in me, no longer dark,
like fusion in a star,
with electricity instilled, 
from where I was, it took me far.
Everything inside me thrilled.

That was only just the start. 
There are too many bands to name, 
who created musical art
to expand the mind and heart, 
no two of them the same,
like the Airplane and Grateful Dead,
peace and love, they would proclaim, 
and those sentiments would spread.

blue of the waves

The stretching of nimbus
arcane  into the neigh
the grateful dead laugh
into the dark
half lying 
with mouth open
where the sons of the glen
take you into the Sun
over broken barricades
mounds of high light appear
into the blue of the waves
kiss winds spark

Over Light

pass the dark
half time
the rest of me
into the spiral of spin
the schelpture of electric light
cascades over wretch
the grateful dead
kiss you into life

Touch of Gray

A couple of bands disbanded and found each other
Forming The Grateful Dead in 1965
Their rock, blues, jazz, gospel, reggae kept them alive
For thirty years,
although they lost three keyboardists.

My favorite song of theirs is Touch of Grey
I will get by, I will survive, which is what they did
And they survived in spite of many hardships
They were survivors!

“the touch of grey kinda suits you anyway”
This meant nothing when I was a young deadhead.
Now that I am older, I cherish this line also.
I may be gray, but I will survive.
I will get by. I will survive.

Away On a Strange Trip

Away on a strange trip 
No, I couldn't see
Away on a strange trip  
High on L.S.D. 

A true "Grateful Dead" head 
I always will be 
When I lay in my bed 
Oh, the colours I see 

"What a strange trip it's been" 
The "Grateful Dead" sang 
Jerry Garcia- seen  
Went out with a bang 

They all tripped on acid 
How did they all play 
I saw them "Lake Placid" 
Way back in the day 

I went with my brother 
First concert- ever 
I didn't tell mother 
Let me go- never

What Price Country

What price for country now
Is it what money takes a bow
To attack another is such a deed
Peace the sacrifice for diplomatic speed

Flights of black crows cover the sky
Gone are the white doves who fall and die
And khaki drills fashion the day
No more bright colours is the way

When you can’t lie safe in bed
In this lost peace will you be the grateful dead
With the only dance being macabre
Who will win no-one will stir.

© Paul Warren Poetry

Pun Fun

I went to see the "Rolling Stones"- they rocked! 
I had two tickets to see "Cher" in concert, I kept them both 
A "Moody Blues" concert got cancelled, I heard they couldn't tolerate each other 
Never did get to see the "Beatles" in concert, that really bugged me 
I went to a "Rush" concert, it was over too fast 
I went to see the "Eagles" they sounded a little bit like the "Byrds" 
I went to see the "Doors" with a couple of swingers 
I went to see "Led Zeppelin" and "Iron Butterfly" now that was heavy 
I went to see "Cream" they milked the show 
I went to see "Billy Idol" he's, my favorite! 
I went to see "The Grateful Dead" they killed it! 
I was going to see "Alice in Chains", but I heard she got locked up 
I went to see "The Guess Who" eh, I'll tell you later. 
I went to see the "Mamas and Papas" with my parents 
I went to see the "Animals" they were wild 
I went to see "The Cars" drove me crazy 
I went to see "Blue Oyster Cult" I got all clammed up 
I went to see "The Beach Boys" with my sister Sandy

One More My Friend

                     I
One more my friend, one more
  ice cold beer golden filled,
till I alone face my mortal end
  and by its treachery killed.
Where haunts a ghost of mine
  whom I once much owed...
one more my friend, one more,
  just one more for the road
                    II
One more my friend, one more
  boding self-evident truth,
but fear not a day of reckoning
  nor an everlasting reproof.
Behold the virgin and the whore,
  alas both have sins to bear…
one more my friend, one more
  fork in a road to nowhere
                    III
One more my friend, one more
  lost courage for me to find,
to forgive a troubled weary soul 
  and rest with peace of mind.
Let church bells ring for brides
  and infants in holy baptism...
one more my friend, one more
  old demon for my exorcism
                    IV
One more my friend, drink up
  and seek a blessing now,
seek a true salvation and pray
  that you find it somehow.
And if I pass before my time
  among the grateful dead…
drink up old friend, drink up
  and live long in my stead!


  Written: December 1996

Edicts

The high priests have spoken
we were thrilled
when they said we could sleep
through.
They knew we were tired,
that we were natural-born agitators
given to independent incivility.
It was good to relax,
to completely numb the heart-sickness;

and so to bed
with the rest of the grateful dead.

Brakes and Kickstands Today

music playing
the kind the soothes the soul
water flowing
the flow that frees the innocence in the air
the cherry lemonade is just the right amount of cool
mother nature's presentation is the perfect mellow mood
time has decided to take an elongated siesta
the birds are all united and happy 
no sirens are blaring
no dogs are barking
all the bills are paid
it's my first day off work today
there is money still left in my paycheck
to hell with spending more right now, i am fully unpluggin'
the james gang and the grateful dead are both in my head
however, i wanna put that don williams song on that i like so much
i believe too, and God is Blessing me for it
what makes me happy furthermore is knowing that i am not the only one
then i pray for those who beg to differ

The Grateful Dead

The fire was cast forward on the wind
From Hell it came with fiery breath to begin
As it scorched the earth on dragon’s breath
Blasting everything as the world was swept with death

Those that were not consumed within the fire
Knew their situation was so very dire
And they thought to themselves in their silent song
Perhaps the grateful dead were right all along.

© Paul Warren Poetry

Dawns Just Like This

Dawns Just Like This

Wake now, discover that you are the song the mornin’ brings . . .em>

-The Grateful Dead-


Dawn easing through
Needle-Eye The Organs once 
clear-cut, parsed plain, it seems, 
like the desert, flattening its curve
over bramble, pepperweed roughage,
just for us, on dawns just like this, 
breath-fresh, not one woke soul sick.

Jukebox

The Rolling Stones, The Beatles, Bread
Billy Joel and The Grateful Dead

Suzi Quatro, Wham! Kate Bush
Elton John, Yes, Kiss and Rush

Aerosmith, The Brothers Four
Dolly Parton, Sandie Shaw

The Jackson Five and Bruce Springsteen
Elvis Presley, Slade and Queen

David Bowie, The Beach Boys, Sweet
Rose Royce, Madness and The Beat

Dusty Springfield, Fox, Nick Drake
Soft Cell, Toto, Sting, Greg Lake

Three Dog Night and The Ramones
Pink Floyd and The Undertones

Duran Duran, Nirvana and
The Sensational Alex Harvey Band

Mott The Hoople, E.L.O
Dr. Hook and Status Quo

Skeeter Davis, Iggy Pop
Alice Cooper, ZZ Top

The Rev. Al Green and Steeley Dan
The Who, The Jam and Steeleye Span

The Monkees, Abba, Cream and Free
Lynyrd Skynrd, 10CC

The Faces, Love and Wishbone Ash
The Four Tops, Blondie and The Clash

The Moody Blues, Deep Purple, Mud
Frankie Goes To Hollywood

Bob Dylan and The Shangri Las
The Kinks. The Birds. The Doors. The Cars

The Seekers and Roberta Flack
The Drifters, T. Rex, Fleetwood Mac

Tina Turner, Prince, James Brown
..And all the music from Motown.

We Faeries Were As Quiet As Could Be

Faerie Gran asleep high up on a blue shelf.
Gremlins had messed things up with Obo their funny elf.
Washing dishes with her faerie dancing feet
PreSage Blue Sweet Faerie could keep a lively beat.

Mama of this family had finally gone to bed.
She was truly exhausted, sleeping like the grateful dead.
On her plate were two children, the oldest barely three.
Mama needed her rest, so we were as quiet as we could be.

We had tiptoed through the garden, flown above the gate.
Faerie Gran had cautioned us, so none of us were late.
White Pure Sister Faerie was consoling Baby Faerie now,
He had pricked his thumb on a needle and was putting up a row.

Soap bubbles began serenading us in their rainbow way.
We were having delightful fun, for cleaning is our play.
Faerie Gran fell off the shelf, before we were completely done.
Her wings kept her in the air, which added to our wholesome fun.

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