Cross the Rubicon
I wrote Cross the Rubicon in 2016.. It seems to me that it fits in with the August Challenge. To cross the Rubicon means to reach a point of no return. When Julius Caesar led his army to the banks of the river Rubicon, he knew that if he crossed it, there was no way back. He would have to go on and cause a civil war in Rome. That war he eventually won, to become the dictator of Rome. My song is an attempt to encourage someone who is considering taking the irrevocable step of crossing the Rubicon to do so, however disturbing a choice that might be, and to comfort them, telling them how brave they are in following their dream.
Cross the Rubicon
It\’s something you can\’t learn,
it\’s something you can\’t teach.
It\’s never nearby,
it\’s always out of reach.
You may sense it in the city,
you may sense it on the beach.
It\’s sweet as pomegranate seeds,
the juice of a peach.
It has the lift of love,
it dumbs the gift of speech.
It is the dream you know you must follow,
that reveals your life is hollow.
No use musing on what has come and gone.
You can only go on,
once you cross the Rubicon.
The river may be shallow,
its water red with mud,
but it\’s the border between what you know
and where your dream leads you to go.
So cross it and be brave,
it is your spirit that you save.
No use musing on what has come and gone.
You can only go on,
once you cross the Rubicon.
You could have left it as a dream,
a rippling shadow on a stream.
Instead you decided to go on,
to cross the Rubicon.
I didn’t know the origin of crossing the rubicon. A lesson learned today. Thanks for sharing
Thank you very much for listening to my song.
Some really good lines in that Phil. Great subject choice👍
Many thanks for your encouraging words.
Comforting encouraging words for anyone struggling to move forward
Thank you, Ann. It is good to know you think the words of my song could be helpful to anyone struggling to move forward.
This has got a dreamy quality that’s a bit mesmerising Phil. I like it.
Many thanks for listening to my song and for your encouraging words.
For me I’m afraid the over-long guitar at the start (40 seconds) meant that my attention was not grabbed from the outset and my heart sank when I realised I was in for a 7 minute listen. When, as here, there is a lot of listening to be done I think there needs to be a really good reason for anything over 4 minutes and I didn’t find it in your song. Sorry.
Many thanks for listening to my song and for your comment.
I really liked this although I did feel it needed some kind of chordal/melodic “lift” for the “no use musing” section. I’m glad I stayed with it to the end.
Thank you for your helpful, interesting advice on the “no use musing” verse, and for listening to my long song to its end. I recorded it long before I joined Talent is Timeless so I never thought of trying to make it shorter. I am glad you liked it, anyway.