[ Don Francks ] Art

Expressions of Freedom

Don is both a tremendous talent artisitically and a great appreciator of art in many forms. Here is a summary of his many creative enterprises, which is certain to come up short, but it's an honest attempt to share his achievements!

Acting > Cinema, Stage, Video, Television, Radio (new radio program Oct. 2006!), Voice

Music > Singer, Songwriter, Instrumentalist creating jazz, Native and children's music.

Artwork and Design > As the title implies, he does that, TOO!

Writing > Poetry, Prose - Share some of Don's poems...

Children All

It's in the bag
made of paper
and coloured
cardboard boxes
pieces of string
and people
who are anything
they want to be
bears and beanbags
beautiful flowers
princes or butterflies
witches with powers
cutout castles
and imagination
music and dancing
and sweet inspiration

bless them for
making us laugh and feel
children all : using our applause
and bravos to say we love you

Poetry by Don Francks
Copyright

Lennie

lennie used to play everyday
s'pose he still does
in fact i know he does
'cause that's lennie
sit there & groove all day
then go out & play all night
wasn't too aware of the front page
of the paper today
nor 1929
and all that
or anything else trivial
'cept human nature sometimes
but, when it comes to guitar
he is "my man"
i don't sing everyday
as much as i should
no good
i will stop writing for a while or so
and sing
( & smile in between )

Poetry by Don Francks

Of Me

when you see little boys at play
think of me
when you see lovers runaway
think of me
& when you hear their laughter
right after the rain
listen to their happiness
& think of me again
have thoughts of me when nature's in the air
& the smell of life is everywhere
just think of me & i'll be there
think of me
please think of me

when you feel the cold of winter's snows
or feel the summer's sand between your toes
think of me when e'er the taste is fine
whether it's the honey or the wine...

but, when you see the world through tear-filled eyes
& all that you can hear are your own cries
when the sweet scent seems to disappear
you feel that tiny tear roll down your cheek
you open your mouth & try to speak
& when you taste the salt of your own tear
don't
think of me, please
don't
think of me

c 1966 Don Francks
all rights reserved
unauthorized reproduction is prohibited

May The Children

May the children not in his footsteps tread
May the children sleep not in his troubled bed
May those children speak with words, awaiting to be spoken
May those children live in love, unwritten laws unbroken

May a young man never know the 'morrow of his father's fears
May a young girl never know the sorrow of her mother's tears
May these children eat not of this bitter fruit
May these children hear a truth, no longer mute

May thy children wage not wars, nor wish unnatural powers
May thy children seek and find the peace of mind we thought was ours

Poetry by Don Francks

The Dawning

The dawning tells a dewdrop
a dew drop tells a flower
a flower tells a raindrop
a raindrop tells a shower

a shower tells a rainbow
and what do rainbows do?
they tell the sky to tell the star
that makes your wish come true

the first star smiles shyly
and very, very soon
it tells the other stars to sprinkle
stardust on the moon

A moonbeam tells the oceans
a great whale shouts the word
away on wings of wandering winds
who whisper to a bird

the bird begins to sing it's song
and tells this world of mine
the whole wide world awakes and tells
the sun to rise and shine

the sunshine shone upon my love
my love so fair to see
my love awoke me with a kiss
to tell that she loves me
to tell that she loves me

how shall i tell my love?
i'll tell it to the dawn
the dawning tells a dew drop
and on
and on
and on........