Stone walls do not a prison make,
Nor iron bars a cage;
Minds innocent and quiet take
That for an hermitage;
If I have freedom in my love
And in my soul am free,
Angels alone, that soar above,
Enjoy such liberty.
― Richard Lovelace, To Althea, from Prison, 1641
Doin’ my time…
I was going to write about prisons today. Actually, about how some free walking folks are as imprisoned by their behaviors and beliefs as anyone behind the stone walls of any prison.
As Lovelace pointed out nearly four hundred years ago, freedom’s a state of mind. For the most part, we make our own prisons and do our own time.
Take that any way you choose.
I am just going to use it to segue into a performance of Doin’ My Time from Billy Strings. It was written sometime in the 1940’s by Jimmie Skinner and famously covered by Flatt & Scruggs as well as Johnny Cash. Billy Strings is a young (only 29) and exceptionally talented performer who was raised on a musical diet of bluegrass, heavy metal and jam bands. This version shows his virtuosity and knack for identifying the strength in a song and running with it.
Really impressive performance that holds up well against those of the legends. Just plain good stuff.
And now I have to get back to my cell. Got some more time to do.
Redtree Times 