Pay the Price

 
Allow me to speak freely Ghost Rider
But I’m still sad you are gone
Thinking about your loss
About your lyrics and words
And how it reached us misfits and nerds
But we found comfort in the music

You were the greatest
Always pursuing the next level
     and still improving
You were so well read
And articulate
Conveying the human experience
     and emotion
As if you spoke directly to us

So many of us copied your style
Putting you at the top of every list
And yet, behind that shy smile
You were always remained a mystery

Whenever I’m feeling down
Or nostalgic
Or inspired
I always go back and listen
I close my eyes and try imagine myself
Young again
Without a care or worry of time
Lost in the waves of sound
And that somehow
The verses made sense

Perhaps fellow Rush fans would say the same
We’re an eccentric bunch
Who love the music just as much as life itself
Always amazed
At your musical talent and writing skills

These last 29 days I’ve deeply contemplated
On what the music and lyrics meant to me
What it got me through
What memories it brought me
And what they made me feel

You were more than a professor
For many you were also a mentor
And from what I hear
Many are alive because of you
      That’s the power of music
      That’s the power of words

Maybe in ninety-one years
Two or three generations from now
They will return to these records
They will ponder about the trio that was
They will hear the message we once heard
And wonder what it would have been like
To have heard it live

I take these expressions to heart
Understanding I have to pay the price
Knowing I have to put in the work
Comprehending that life is full obstacles
Tragedies and triumphs
Heartbreak and solace
Sadness and love
Because in the end
     It’s all worth living it

328 Words
192 Unique