I was unable to post this morning.  I am in the midst of a rewrite, my update of a “This I Believe” statement that I wrote in 1983 when in grad school.  A friend asked that I post the statement, which I will do.  The world of society which includes language terms, and issues of importance have changed greatly in the intervening years.  Some editing and condensation is necessary.  I attended to that this morning.

For today, a sunny, 50 degree February 2nd Superbowl Sunday, I offer for your enjoyment and contemplation a rock tune released in 1988 by Guns N’ Roses on their debut album Appetite For Destruction.  The arts are often prescient of the course of our form of life.  Images and lyrics sometimes prefigure what is to come.  Do not bother to ask an artist how they do it.  All that they have to say, they have said in their work.  The work, in fact says more than the artist consciously knows and is able to say.

Sweet Child of Mine is a lyrical and sonic meditation upon loss, the imagination presenting as memory, the child that we once were, or even the nation and people that we once were.  Such recollection is a bitter sweet moment when it comes.  Perhaps you’ve had such awakened moments of reflection if you have lived past middle age?

No need to say that the title of Guns N’ Roses album, Appetite for Destruction, which featured this tune is an apt label for the outcome of the show trial in the Senate of Donald J. Trump on the charge of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress.  The next to the last lyric line is precisely the question which all of us must answer at the conclusion of the acquittal by the Senate.

“Where do we go now?”

Enjoy the video.  The guitar solo by Slash knocks me out.  As usual lyrics are appended after the youtube video.

Sweet Child O’ Mine

By Guns N’ Roses

She’s got a smile that it seems to me
Reminds me of childhood memories
Where everything
Was as fresh as the bright blue sky

Now and then when I see her face
It takes me away to that special place
And if I stared too long
I’d probably break down and cry

Sweet child o’ mine
Sweet love of mine

She’s got eyes of the bluest skies
As if they thought of rain
I’d hate to look into those eyes
And see an ounce of pain

Her hair reminds me of a warm safe place
Where as a child I’d hide
And pray for the thunder and the rain
To quietly pass me by

Sweet child o’ mine
Sweet love of mine

Sweet child o’ mine
Sweet love of mine

Sweet child o’ mine
Sweet love of mine

Where do we go?
Where do we go now?
Where do we go?

Where do we go?
Where do we go?
Where do we go now?

Where do we go?
Sweet child o’ mine
Where do we go now?

Where do we go?
Where do we go?
Where do we go now?

Where do we go?
Where do we go now?
Where do we go?
Where do we go now?

Where do we go?
Where do we go now, now, now, now, now, now, now now?

Sweet child, sweet child o’ mine