- Feature Poem: A World Through Colored Lenses
- Musings: Brobdingnagian Fairy Tales CD

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Greetings <:firstname:>,

I'm back from a fun weekend at Opus Fantasy Arts Festival in Colorado. With Star Wars 3: Revenge of the Sith cleaning up at the box office, it's no wonder that our performance of "Jedi Drinking Song" was a big hit. People seem to really like my Wookie impression, but wait until you hear it on our new CD-Brobdingnagian Fairy Tales.

No, it's not quite done, but almost. I'm currently booking some CD Release parties to celebrate the release which will be in July. Stay tuned, because I hope to do a big promo push for the CD. It will be an exciting event.

Oh! And yes, Star Wars 3 rocked. Go see it!

You Like It. You Really, Really Like It!

I'm truly delighted to see that everyone who's bought a copy of my new book Bella Filiocht: Heartfelt Poetry from a Celtic Italian Hopeful Romantic has enjoyed it. Sure there's a couple who've said, "I can't believe you bared as much of yourself as you did."

What can I say? I just want to write and not worry about censoring my feelings. So if you want the uncensored truth, get a copy for yourself.

"I got Bella Filiocht in the mail yesterday, I couldn't put it down. It's profound in a word, but to stop there would sell it short. It's beautiful, and deep, heartfelt and funny, all at once. I read the whole thing before I went to sleep."
- Emilee Rush, Oklahoma

Brobdingnagian Fairy Tales

I really haven't had much time recently to work on the cat CD. Ari and I've both been super busy. Work at my day job is picking up too. Fortunately, next month there are not too many gigs. All the main tracks should be done by the end of June.

That's also allowed me time to push Andrew to finish mixing and mastering our next CD. I didn't quite know what to expect from this latest bardic offering. Originally, I expected it to be hands down our funniest CD yet, but it's not.The name is very appropriate to the content. There are a lot of those funny songs like "Jedi", "Exclamations" and "Old Dun Cow", but there are also some more passionate songs like "None But A Harper" and "Frog Kissing", and even an Italian song, "Santa Lucia".

It's a romantic and funny look at filk music that covers nearly all aspects the songs we love to sing.

I can't wait to get a copy of the final CD in my hands.

---

Drop me a line if you get the chance. Slainte!
- Marc

PS. Let me know if you're having trouble with any of these links. I've heard a couple problems that I am trying to resolve.

A World Through Colored Lenses
by Marc Gunn, May 23, 2005
from Bella Filiocht: Heartfelt Poetry from a Celtic Italian Hopeful Romantic

This poem was inspired by a friend who has a very unique outlook on life. Everyone and everything is beautiful in her eyes. She's an inspiration to me. Now and then I can take away my own colored lens and see just how beautiful friends and strangers truly are.

Yesterday, I looked at the world through colored lenses.
It was an amazing sight to see.
Things seemed so very different,
Yet not so different as you'd think.

First, I tried on some blue lenses
And I began to understand
Why some people are so sad and depressed.
I saw the problems they had.

An anorexic woman was there.
Her mother called her fat.
So she stopped eating anything
To reminder her of that.

A man stood there
With waves of fat to show.
His parents told him to eat, eat, eat.
He never learned to say no.

Next, I tried on a green pair of lenses.
It was nothing but despair.
To see that a husband was justified
By his incessant jealousy.

Surely his wife was doing all
The things he thought he saw.
And why was that man staring at me
I think he's planning my fall.

I switched next to the red lenses
And I could finally understand
Why some whites hated blacks
And there's a war in the Holy Land.

You really can't say you're a rascist
If you've got a good reason for the blight?
So go ahead, beat or kill someone
Because their skin or religion aren't right.

Last, I tried on some black lenses.
It was tough trying to see.
But when at last my eyes adjusted
I wished they were never freed.

I saw a woman wasting away
Raped by an ex- as a teen.
I saw a boy abused by a teacher
He too no longer sees clearly.

I saw a couple married, unhappy
Thirty years now buried deep inside.
I couldn't bare it, tore off the lenses
I don't want to see the things we hide.

I put my own glasses back on.
And took a look around.
The world was much more beautiful
Than the demons of colored lenses round.

I realized then, despite the colors
That blind each with tears
That you and I are much more precious and beautiful
Than our deepest, darkest fears.

---
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Marc Gunn is a musician, photographer, poet, author, American Scotsman, songwriter, music download connoisseurs, web designer, Rennie, online entrepreneur, and a bunch of other labels that don't a whole lot, but all entirely independent.

The world is dominated by massive organizations that strangle the life out of the independent arts. You can stop it at the source. Your good will and support of the arts through kind donations, purchases, and friendly word of mouse will make your feel great!

Frog Kissin' by Emilee Rush
If you've never been frog kissin' then you don't know what you've been missin'...

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