I Will Take As Many Words As I Want To Write This Story

@sensualbeauty1 I'me never one at a loss for words..but this can leave me speechless. For a young man 22 years old to write this and recite it as he did is awe-inspiring! Men and women 30 years older cannot tell a tale that well!

In my reply top V I went a bit in-depth about this.

When the folk revival of the 1960's occurred that is when I discovered Woody. A voice that had not recorded for 15 years was alive and vital again-and has remained so ever since.

I must have heard this 30 times in 15 days!

@Elandra77 It was so incredibly detailed and that's so true, usually someone that young cannot articulate as well as he did. They're certain singers that you want to hear over and over again because you never grow tired of that voice. I was just listening to Boogie Street with Leonard Cohen, my God his voice was like sensual velvet washing over your skin.

@SW-User I think..you are the only person I write freestyle poetry to as a reply! I am so touched I was able to move you a bit in my terse reply. I love that it is is seen as happy heart adorable.

Everything about what Bob says is genius. He should have been poet laureate for the US in the 1960's!

Imagine a young man today that you may know of 19 or 20 years of age. Do you have that image? Good. Now imagine Bob Dylan at 19-almost 20 going to the Guthrie household in NYC in 1961 to see his hero. Imagine the are he had. And courage. He wanted to meet one 29 years older than he.

Now imagine the family telling him he is not there but at the Brooklyn State Hospital and that his surname he is list as is---------. Now picture a young and scared Bob going there. He also was let in under a surname.

Now imagine the heart and compassion of this man, now 20 years of age sitting across Woody himself who has been suffering from Hutchinson Cholera (now Hutchinson's Disease) for 10 years or more. A disease that robs us of our muscular control and strength. A deterioration of muscles so serious that Woody had to stop performing as he could not.

Imagine the confusion, the hurt, the respect, and the tears in Bob's eyes as he came to sit with Woody day after day for a long time! Think on what could have been said-- been sung. Picture Bob feeding him as he could not hold the plate or fork.

Then think again of the young man I asked you to again and ask yourself if he would go to such lengths today. Even IF it was allowed.

Done? Now one last thought--think of the genius that a 22 year Bob was when he wrote and performed this, spoken, yet!--far better than storytellers 50 years his senior!

I can't process it.. It just boggles my mind!

Bob was 22. Woody was 51. I was 6.

@SW-User You may like this...I never featured it as I know what a hot topic it can be-polarizing--and I did not want that. However it does deserve to be heard. He was 22. Just astounding. Listen to the applause. Sinatra and The Beatles never got that! And in 1948 women were busting down the doors of the Paramount Theater to see Frankie!!

https://similarworlds.com/6321420-I-Will-Take-As-Many-Words-As-I-Want-To-Write-This/2589736-Town-Hall-April-1963-NYC-No-intro-this-time-None

@Elandra77 Your viewpoints & commentary have always had such emotion to them. I'm happy you can reply poetically like so!

You'd be hard pressed to find a man that age, idolize and show such respect. It's heartwarming yet disheartening. I can't imagine the honor he felt to do that, the reward! That's the era I was better built for. You're right though, few with such a social status could be remotely within a near mile cloe to a fan. Can you imagine how much, he too, felt humbled by such respect & admiration?! Humanity at its finest.❤

It took me so long because of jacked up data btw. 7 minutes turned into 47! That's why it took me awhile. It was well worth it though...

@Lostpoet He has a talent and way of looking at life, and observing that I am in awe of. That he thought so much of Woody so as to track him down and then spend so much time with him-at such a young age is astounding.

@Elandra77 He was special breed. I like how he wrote in his year book that he's leaving town to join little Richie or something like that. I can't imagine an 18 year old kid now days doing something like that.

@Lostpoet I cannot fathom that either. He wished to be as as troubadour. He may have saw himself as the next Woody.

You may like this-a post of mine I buried As God is a polarizing topic.

From a year later. So haunting.

https://similarworlds.com/6321420-I-Will-Take-As-Many-Words-As-I-Want-To-Write-This/2589736-Town-Hall-April-1963-NYC-No-intro-this-time-None

@Peaches Glad you did. Hope you enjoyed this!

@RodneyTrotter I can understand that.

@Vivaci Woody Guthrie came down with Huntington's disease around 1951 of which there is no cure for.

https://hdsa.org/what-is-hd/overview-of-huntingtons-disease/

He was admitted under a surname to Greystone Hospital, of which horror stories abound! He was ther 4 years then transferred to Brooklyn State hospital At that time Bob Dylan was starting out and living in NY and playing clubs in soho and the village. Bob became famous. He used to go and sit with Woody, daily, in that hospital. I have no idea what that was like- (reread about the disease)--nor do I know if any talks happened. Woody some lost muscle control and could not pick up bowls to feed himself and more food went on the floor than his mouth. He had to stop recording in the 1950's as he could not anymore. This disease CAN be hereditary.

So for bob to write as he did I truly understand. Staring into the face of one that was such a voice for so many may be akin to sitting with God, as Bob may say it.

This is a must read despite the dubious source.

http://america.aljazeera.com/features/2014/1/when-the-hard-travelinawasoverwoodyguthrieatgreystonehospital.html

@Elandra77 That's a heart wrenching story, Elandra....men like Bob Dylan are few and rarer now...I can imagine the discipline and dedication of a man of his caliber going to meet greatness. What divinely enlightening meetings that must've been....💞

@Vivaci The depth of Bob Dylan, even as a teen I cannot fathom! In 1961 he showed up at the doorstep of the NYC Guthrie household (shortly before the release of his second Lp "The Freewheeling Bob Dylan"). He would be 20 that year but that meeting may have been when he was 19!!! I was 4!

He was directed to go to the Brooklyn State Hospital and told the surname Woody was using. I can only imagine the awe that a young man that age has when face to face with Woody. Even Hank Williams-old Hank!-patterned himself after Woody Guthrie.

I think I have talked enough and bored you long enough on this topic. Thank You for being a great listener-as well as any other that may have read this!

@DarkHeaven I think this would truly touch your soul in so many ways. Last time I listened to it I thought of you a number of times and in a number of images. I am so glad you found this!!!

As an artist, poet and one time performer it is hard for me to express what Woody means to me.

@Elandra77 Very Nice. I’m going dark for a while in a few minutes. You take care, okay? 🦋

@DarkHeaven I will. You do the same.🤗❤️