• After the Last
  • Carry Me
  • Chasing Visions
  • Christmas Reverie
  • Last Night of Stars
  • The Rose of Jericho
  • Selene’s Boat
  • She is the River
  • When the Earth Stands Still

After the Last

Here at the last,
My love.
Soon to that vast 
Unknown.
So close to the summit 
But slowing.
Whispers urge your going. 

Give up the fight,
My love.
The night can be friend 
Not foe.
Some battles are won by leaving
Or letting go.
 
Roots will come greet us, 
Weaving a blanket
Midst rock and loam
And forests will feed us,
Serving a banquet
Of seed and cone.

Never alone. 

And when it’s my last
My love
I will hold fast 
To love.
And dreams of embrace,
A gathering place 

Where roots will come greet us, 
Weaving a blanket
Midst rock and loam.
And forests will feed us,
Serving a banquet
Of seed and cone.

Never alone, never.
Never, never, alone. 
After the last,
My love. 

Dedicated to all those that have lost a loved one and to my father, Alasdair Macdonald.  Oct 10, 2020

Chasing Visions

People often wonder
Why I look so tired
I’ve been chasing old sweet memories
Memories of you, scattered and few
I’m chasing them most of the time

Clouds are now invading
Memories once sky blue
Midnight visions once in colour
Now black and white and fading from sight
I’m chasing them most of the time

Sometimes I’m lucky
Here in the night
I see your brown eyes 
as my memory takes flight.
Carried away in visions of yesterday
And I’m with you one more time. 

Nights I lay awake
Daylight finds me dreaming
Cause I’ve been chasing old sweet memories
Memories of you, scattered and few
I’m chasing them most of the time

Sometimes I’m lucky
Here in the night
I see your brown eyes 
as my memory takes flight.
Carried away in visions of yesterday
And I’m with you one more time.

Christms Reverie

Early morning winter, Forty-first and Vine,
Modern day minstrel plays carols for a dime.
The song becomes a memory when it takes me back,
Way back home, home for Christmas.
It’s been so long. How I’ve missed it.

Needle hits the record, December late at night,
Spinning forty-five plays a crooners delight.
The song becomes a memory that quickly takes me back,
Way back home, how I’ve missed it.

It’s been so long since I went away but now
Feels like yesterday.
The dream is a feast for the senses:
Crack of fire and waft of pine.
Lucky are we that a song can beat its wings
And take us to these things so dear.

Snowflakes on the windshield, frost is on the ground,
Radio plays as I head into town.
Christmas songs take me home at last.

Last Night of Stars 

Last night of stars 
Shroud is descending 
Black is invading 
Canvas and frame.
 
Sweet child of twilight 
In your nest made of iron 
Come out from the shadows. 
It is time for our passing 
and your dawning. 
 
Take this next breath with me. 
Fill the night with your melody. 
Star-light dimmed and shuttered moon, 
Sing them all aglow. 
At last. 
 
Last day of whispers 
Silenced by tremors 
Songs in the distance are thundered 
Then mute. 
 
Last child of Autumn, 
Last child before the storm, 
Restless tides of fear may drown us 
You must rise to meet them 
 
Take this sacred breath with me. 
Fill the night with your melody. 
Sirens shrill and rumbles deep, 
Sing them all to silence. 
At last.
 
Last night of stars 
Shroud is descending 
Black is invading 
Canvas and frame.
 
Sweet child of twilight 
In your nest made of iron. 
Come out from the shadows 
it is time, it is time, it is time.
 
Sing it all to silence. 

Moon Ravens

Out of the shadows.
There in the east,
A tempest of wings,
A gathering shroud.
I lay here and follow their path through the clouds.

Moon Ravens, silver then gold
Lit by the moonlight.
Moon Ravens, hovering low
Covered in starlight.
Drifting like ashes
Down through my window.   
Oh so softly
Whispering to me.

There’s no one that could deny
All those spirits of the night.
All my senses, all my reason
Overtaken by the wing-ed apparitions.

Into the eye of the black-bird I fall. 

Hair into feather.
Talon from nail. 
Cloaked in a raiment of 
Black, jet-
Black-char-
Black-er than sleep eternal. 

Into the Shadows
Life at our backs, distant and fading. 
Taking our path to the moon. 

Don Macdonald
Feb 2020

The Rose of Jericho
 
One leaf out of the fire
West wind taking it higher
One year after forever
two hands coming together
 
And now their roots are protected
And green is starting to show
For here there's life unexpected
Like the rose of Jericho
 
Oneearth, something has shifted
One left, soon to be lifted
One skin just like another
One night, flight undercover
 
And now their roots are protected
And green is starting to show
For here there's life unexpected
Unfolding like the rose of Jericho
 
There are stories carved
In rings so deep
But the lines thought lost
Have been found complete.
 
Where fire cools
In bright night skies
Where desert winds
Sing lullabies
Were stones can move
With featherweight
An open door an open gate.
 
Poetry by Don Macdonald and Allison Girvan

She is the River
 
She’s comin’ up strong, 
been’ comin’ up long, 
out from under. 
 
She’s on her own time, 
and breakin’ the line, 
bringin’ her thunder.
 
She is the river 
and the rushing in of everything, 
and she’s the ocean, 
breaking walls of stone, 
and ancient castles. 
 
Catching the falling. 
Hearing the calling. 
 
Out here in the deep, 
deep current of sleep, 
she will come find us. 
She can ignite
a hurricane flight, 
she can unbind us. 
 
She is the river 
and the rushing in of everything, 
and she’s the ocean, 
breaking walls of stone, 
and ancient castles.

Don Macdonald Sept 2019
The lyrics are about the power of the female spirit. 

  1. Sofia’s Coming Out (from the jazz album Short Stories)

Sophia’s writing poetry alone by candlelight.

Her words like rain are flowing as they ease the lonely night.

But tomorrow, so she says, 

and there’s ample room for doubt, 

for the first time in a year

She’s coming out. 

Her stories take her far away and yet she stays at home.

While writing of the joyous crowds she’s really on her own.

But I’ve been stopping by,

and if everything goes right, 

She’ll be out with me

Tomorrow night

And Ohh – to the sand and to the sea

I’m dreaming of that night when she will be set free. 

She’s always been a little shy, afraid to speak her mind

Now flowers on her inside blossom outside all the time

Her lyric started flowing, 

And her poetry’s devine.

Sofia’s coming out and doing fine.


  1. Fall From Grace – (from the jazz album Short Stories)

Every night when you came calling

Your whispers pulled me to

From feathered bed and loneliness, 

to the wild and true. 

Our shadows danced in silence, 

in the pale moon’s embrace.

You held me on those midnights  

In our fall from grace.

Once I loved the sunrise – 

The warmth upon my skin. 

But love came round and found me

And drew me in

The future feels uncertain

While darkness fills the space

But love still abides 

In this fall from grace. 


  1. Invisible – (from the jazz album Short Stories)

She is invisible

Out of the spotlight

There on the stage

Yet she’s hard to find

He is invisible

Dancing at midnight

a ghost in the crowd out of sight

Out of mind

They’re shy and unassuming when alone

But together they more than fill the room

Funny it may seem, they were each the other’s dream.  

Oh so invisible,

That nothing can capture

Their story book rapture. 


  1. Clementine – (from the jazz album Short Stories)

Oh Clementine, I’m in a lonely place. 

These city lights stole me from your embrace.  

I’ve lost my rhythm and I’ve lost my rhyme.

Take me back, please Clementine.

The lure of money made me shed my skin.

Cigars and limos led to smoke and gin.

I had the polish but I lost my shine.

Take me back, please Clementine

I miss the moments with just you and me

On those nights  under starry skies. 

All gold, all light, we burned so bright.

How did it all  slip away from me?

I’ll ditch the glitter and the star of fame.

And the adoring crowds that shout my name.

I’ll give it all away if you’ll be mine.

Take me back,I know I got off track,

Take me back please Clementine.


  1. Sonny’s Bridge – (from the jazz album Short Stories)

Once on a night in New York City 

in the winter’s pouring rain

a saxophone pierced the grey 

and I’ve never been quite the same.

Its haunting melody descended from the warring clouds.

The most elegant sound, it warmed that cold December with its embers. 

From the bridge in the distance, like the first green of spring – 

Through the mist came a phrase that made my heart sing.

I’ve searched the world and all it’s corners

but I lost that melody,

That night Sonny set it free.

  1. Fate – (from the jazz album Short Stories)

When I’m sitting next to you,

My lack of cool will show. 

I can never find the nerve

to even say hello. 

But we are so young, so new to romance.

And I hope that given time

The stars will all align

And fate might smile, might smile on us.

Even just a passing glance, 

Can melt me just like snow, 

(And) if I fell in to your arms 

I could not let go.

But we are so young, so new to romance

And I pray there’ll be a day, 

When you will  turn and walk my way

And fate might smile, might smile on us. 


  1. Stormy Night – (from the jazz album Short Stories)

Dear Sylvie, I’ve been missing you. 

It was two months ago I started traveling.

This sea’s a wild, unfriendly brew and 

I can feel my weary threads unraveling. 

And everytime it rains. I think of you again.

Heaven was that stormy night with you. 

And Sylvie here’s the bitter truth – 

this far away from you is too far.

Days are long, nights are cold, the salty air and brittle bones.

I’m lost between the ocean and the North Star.

And everytime it rains. I think of you again.

We were wild, untamed, but true.

And everytime it rains I always feel the same – 

Heaven was that stormy night with you. 

This grand adventure needs to end.

I’ve lost the fire and need to roam.

With fate a true and trusted friend,

I know this fickle wind will send us home. 


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