Fire in the Water, Earth in the Air: Legends
of West Texas Music
by Christopher Oglesby
Published by the University
of Texas Press:
"As a whole, the interviews create
a portrait not only of Lubbock's musicians and artists, but also
of the musical community that has sustained them, including venues
such as the legendary Cotton Club and the original Stubb's Barbecue.
This kaleidoscopic portrait of the West Texas music scene gets
to the heart of what it takes to create art in an isolated, often
inhospitable environment. As Oglesby says, "Necessity is
the mother of creation. Lubbock needed beauty, poetry, humor,
and it needed to get up and shake its communal ass a bit or go
mad from loneliness and boredom; so Lubbock created the amazing
likes of Jimmie Dale Gilmore, Butch Hancock, Terry Allen, and
Joe Ely."
"Indeed, Oglesby's introduction of more
than two dozen musicians who called Lubbock home should be required
reading not only for music fans, but for Lubbock residents and
anyone thinking about moving here. On these pages, music becomes
a part of Lubbock's living history."
- William Kerns, Lubbock Avalanche Journal
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Michelle
Riddle Thomas graduated from Lubbock High in 1985.
She submitted the following poems to virtualubbock
as examples of her poetry inspired by the landscape of our
youth.
The poet
writes:
"These poems are about
the West Texas landscape. As a kid growing up in Lubbock, I actually
believed that roads HAD to be straight. When I reached the age
of 11 or 12 and realized that roads aren't always straight, I
was deeply shocked. I think the geography of Lubbock makes an
imprint on the residents of Lubbock, makes them believe that
things must be a certain way because.... well, in Lubbock, that's
they way they ARE!
You may have heard the story about the guy who was driving through
West Texas in his RV, who decided that because the road was so
straight that he could safely leave the driver's seat and go
to the back for a drink.
He wrecked, of course."
Neural Networks
The neural networks of my mind
Could not conceive a road could wind and curve or twist
Roads must run north and south and east and west
A road has no contour, no curvy shape
Runs like ribbon very straight, no loop or turn about
Unlike the reel that spins it out
Likewise for a passerthrough--his fluid
reasoning
Failed him too, lulled by lines that do not veer
He left his seat for a swig of beer
The airstream is a wingless ship that
Becomes airborne as it crosses a strip of median
That forms the only rise for miles around
Touching down comes as shock 'cuz roads
Can bend and wind and bump and dip and sway
A long and winding road blew my mind
one day
© Michelle Thomas,
2003
TERRA PLANA
there are places where old notions dig
in and hold firm
TERRA FIRMA
places where the eye deceives the mind
and reason
TERRA VACIA
places where infinity is a cotton row
TERRA RECTA
places Columbus never knew
TERRA INCOGNITA
that the world could be so flat
TERRA PLANA
© Michelle Thomas,
1999
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