The cold of the Germany Winter days had faded away.
I was drowning in sadness, trying to find purpose and reason in the bottom
of the good German beer and cognac bottles.

Good friends kept my spirit alive and well.
Taking me the new cities and raising cane.
The German people knew how to enjoy life.

Taught me to laugh, dance and celebrate the new day and night.
Better to laugh than cry.
Better to dance than swim in self-pity.
Need to celebrate the energy of the night, not look for things lost and can’t be found.

My sweet Brigitte found me.
She held me up.
Taught me love can be sweet and gentle.

We went to Tubingen for the yearly festival.
Live music and thousand kids having fun.
Joan Baez was the lead singer.
Everybody was enjoying life and having fun.

A thousand kids lay on the river.
I share a sleeping bag with my Brigitte.
We talks and share drink with friends and stranger till the morning light.
The Tubingen police chased us away at dawn.

We took the bus back to Boellingen.
Sweet Brigitte gave me many sweet kisses and held me tight.
She whispered to me. “Sweet friend, we must laugh and dance till the end,
we must celebrate our youth. It will evaporate like laughter in the wind.”

Today her words are held true.
I told my children.
Laugh, dance and celebrate life.
If you don’t. You will wish you did.

Coyote
1979/2013