The Peace Train

When seeing is more and more difficult
(first cataract operation this Thursday),
listening becomes more important.
While listening with your eyes closed,
thinking takes on another dimension too.

When I was young, there was a
wonderful singer named Cat Stevens.
He then made some very personal
choices and became Yusuf Islam.
It has probably not been the easiest
choice as he also imposed upon himself
not to sing and to play the guitar
for more than twenty years.
Listen to these two versions of his song
The Peace Train from 1976 and 2006.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7sjSHazjrWg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q7iLPnDCQ1g&NR=1


Youth often has a feeling of fire.
It is an express train swooshing on.
It is so fast you don't always see
much of the area you are going through.
The action is inside the train.

Getting older sometimes has more
quietness.
It is an old fashioned steam locomotive
moving slowly through green nature.
You become more of a spectator,
looking out and the action on the train
is more relaxed.

The lyrics of the song I found here
http://www.allspirit.co.uk/peacetrain.html

Some of the words
feel very personal, just now.

Cause out on the edge of darkness,
there rides a peace train.
Oh peace train take this country,
come take me home again.