The Kitchen Musician ~ February 2025
Hello Friends,
Are you feeling overwhelmed by current events? Me too. Music helps. Sharing a new prayer song today. Join me in the kitchen!
Index
NEWS:
THIS MONTH’S MUSIC: “The Hope Prayer”
UPCOMING SHOWS
FEATURED NON-PROFIT: American Civil Liberties Union
Charlie Koch, Cosy Sheridan and Tom
Homegrown Coffeehouse, Needham, MA, January 2025
Photo by Margo Smith
News:
My talented friends Cosy Sheridan, Charlie Koch and I had a great show in a full room at The Homegrown Coffeehouse last week. We hope to do more shows down the road. Here are a couple coming up in the next two months.
Feb 7, Friday: High Street Coffeehouse, Boscawen, NH. I feature at this curated open mic. Sponsored by the Boscawen Congregational Church. Doors open at 6:15, and music starts at 7:00 pm.
March 14, Friday: South Shore Folk Music Club, Duxbury, MA. I return to this long-running folk club to feature at their open mic. Open mic signup 6:30 pm. Show starts at 7:00 pm.
April 5, Saturday: Francestown Academy Coffeehouse at the Francestown Town Hall, NH. I will do the feature set at this folksy showcase. Refreshments available. Music starts at 7:00 pm.
All show details can be found at upcoming shows.
This Month’s Music: “The Hope Prayer”
℗© 2025 Tom Smith (ASCAP)
I am exasperated by all of the pundits analyzing why Democrats lost the presidential election, and I am feeling the deep loss of the hope I felt prior to election day. My attempts to write a song this month were all expressions of great anger or fear, as I witnessed the inauguration of a despot and the nomination of a cabinet that will do his bidding; regardless of law and human decency. Working through those emotions may have been necessary, but the resulting songs I started were terrible. In situations like this, I frequently turn to simple free writing exercises – train of thought writing with no goal in mind. My friend Cosy Sheridan suggested I write on the prompt, “what do I long for?”. The phrase that jumped out at me from that exercise was “I don’t need answers, I need hope”; which became the opening line of this month’s song – a kind of prayer song.
Meditating on that line, I came to the conclusion that finding answers for our current state of affairs is insufficient for moving forward unless they are coupled with hope. What other desirable but insufficient appeals might one find in a prayer? Strength is insufficient without kindness, as is courage without grace and compassion. Indeed, in my thinking, kindness presupposes strength (though sadly, the converse is not true). I have not abandoned the strong and forceful actions that will be needed ahead, but today I long for hope and remind myself that those strong and forceful actions must not abandon my core values of kindness, grace and compassion.
I leave you with James Crews’ poem from his “The Weekly Pause” email today. James writes, “The message of this one is to stay open, stay soft, even in the face of the awful news that pelts us each day. Let’s not allow anyone to steal our humanness, and let’s take the time we need to stay in the rest and flow, healing for the journey ahead.“
Stay Open
Watching the news, I start to believe
the world wants me closed tight
as a fist, only able to batter and
pound and destroy. But some wiser
voice inside tells me to be more
crocus, more tulip, more peony—
staying open to days of sun and rain,
and even the shock of pelting sleet,
which must eventually melt into
the ground, touching each tender root
with no small amount of surprise—
that something once so hard, so cold,
could soften enough to nourish and flow.
– James Crews
(reprinted with the author’s permission)
You can learn more about James Crews, his wonderful poetry and sign up for his weekly poetry email at his website.
Steady on, friends,
Tom
(If so inclined, I invite you to leave a comment by scrolling to the end of this page.)
Featured Non-profit: ACLU
The American Civil Liberties Union works tirelessly in courts, legislatures, and communities to defend and preserve the Constitution’s promise of liberty for everyone in our country. Their work is more important than ever.
“Defend the rights of all people nationwide. With immigrant rights, trans justice, reproductive freedom, and more at risk, we’re in courts and communities across the country to protect everyone’s rights — and we need you with us.”
Please join me in supporting the ACLU.
Tom Smith
February 3, 2025The Hope Prayer
© 2025 Tom Smith
I don’t need answers, I need hope
I don’t need answers, I need hope
Give me a reason not to let go of the rope
I don’t need answers, I need hope
Don’t make me strong, make me kind
Don’t make me strong, make me kind
What good is strength if I don’t have peace of mind?
Don’t make me strong, make me kind
Don’t grant me courage, grant me grace
Don’t grant me courage, grant me grace
Mercy, compassion and someone to embrace
Don’t grant me courage, grant me grace
Amen amen
Amen amen
So shall it be for every woman, child and man
Amen amen
Amen [spoken]
Paul Weilage
February 4, 2025So true to the times at hand, but can have a special place for life that has its ups and downs
Tom Smith
February 4, 2025Thanks Paul. I hope all is well with you and your wonderful family. Take care.
Rob
February 4, 2025Amen indeed. Great song, Tom!
Tom Smith
February 4, 2025Thanks Rob. We carry on.
Tag
February 4, 2025Another beautiful song Tom! Amen!
STORM
February 4, 2025THANKS TOM SO needed your song and JAMES’ poem this morning
BLESSZINGS AND HOLDING DEMOCRACY’S LIGHT,
STORM
Tom Smith
February 4, 2025Hi Storm. Thanks for listening. Keeping the light.
STORM
February 4, 2025P.S. Your song reminds me of the PRAYER OF ST FRANCIS
STORM
February 4, 2025Sought to post my P.S. as a reply and was told it couldn’t be a reply as my post was unapproved then was asked if I desired to delete my reply and thinking that referred to P.’S. clicked yes However appears that made my original reply disappear so here’s my message in it’s totality
THANKS TOM Really needed you song and JAMES’ poem this morning
BLESSZINGS AND HOLDING DEMOCRACY’S LIGHT,
STORM
P.S. Your song reminds me of the PRAYER OF ST FRANCIS
Tom Smith
February 4, 2025Its all good Storm. When someone posts for the first time, I need to approve it. That keeps the spammers at bay. Now that your comment is approved, future comments on my web site will automatically be approved, as long as you use the same email address. Thanks for listening.
Amy Conley
February 4, 2025Thank you, Tom, for another great song! We are going to need lots of hope … things are getting crazier and more dangerous each day.
Tom Smith
February 4, 2025Thanks Amy. Indeed. Take care of yourself. Stay healthy for the hard work ahead.
Janet
February 4, 2025Love the Hope Prayer. Thanks for sharing it.
Tom Smith
February 4, 2025Thanks for listening, Janet.
Maire Anne
February 6, 2025Thank you for this song Tom. An artful antidote to the awful news that pummels us each day. We need our art and music now more than ever to steady us.
Tom Smith
February 7, 2025Thank you Maire Anne. Steady on! <3
Kathy Low
February 23, 2025Thank you for this. Just lovely and what I needed today with all my feelings of hopelessness and helplessness. It’s hard to look forward to retirement shortly with all the craziness in the world. Hope to get mom to one of your shows up here in the Monadnock region this summer. My best to Margo! Kathy Twyman Low (Faith’s daughter).
Tom Smith
February 24, 2025Thank you for the kind comments. Many of us are struggling. Steady on! … and give my best to your mom. Would be good to see you at a show in southern NH. Take care.
Cali Bartholomew
March 8, 2025I just simply love your music Tom! The messages, the feeling. I heard you on WERS or WUMB many years ago. I was so intrigued, I had to pull over the side of the road, and jot down the words to a song you sang. I put that piece of scrap paper in my file box. I just took it out many years later, only to finally look you up! I will be a loyal follower now! May you enjoy many years to come, inspiring myself and others to keep folk alive!
Tom Smith
March 8, 2025Hello Cali,
Thank you for your kindness. I am grateful to read that my music speaks to you and that you found your way to my web site. I have been here in the Boston area since 1967, so it is quite possible that you heard me on one of those two Boston radio stations. Thank you for subscribing to my mailing list. May we cross paths many times down the road. – Steady on!