the year of nineteen hundred ninety-seven

tonight watching tv
cold case
used the songs of
sarah mclachlan circa 1997
whom i adore
for the story
of a murdered homeless mother and her two daughters left behind

the soundtrack to my life
in 1997 was
surfacing by ms. mclachlan

1997
the year…
i graduated college
directed grease the musical
moved to new york
worked at the rosie o’donnell show
did stand up comedy for the first time ever

1997
a fish out of water
small town boy in the big city
never felt so free
yet
so alone
in my entire life

1997
saw with my own eyes
the power of celebrity
how the other half lives

1997
madonna
in the flesh
on the red carpet
for the vma awards
the other side of the velvet rope
ray of light
the renaissance approaching
behold i am coming soon

1997
a year of goodbyes
a year of hellos
endings
beginnings
hope rising
fear creeping in
devastating in so many ways
chasing the dream
so close yet so far
story of my life

1997
on a bus
leaving the city nightly
for home
a mattress
on my sister’s living room floor
listening to
surfacing by sarah mclachlan
on my headphones
comfort from a stranger
hoping it would all be worth it
in the end

1997
a year that changed my life
for better or worse
forever



And fate has led you through it
You do what you have to do
And fate has led you through it
You do what you have to do

I have the sense to recognize
That I don’t know how to let you go…

"Do What You Have To Do" by Sarah McLachlan