Remembering Molina
An ode to the artist that so few know
Jason Molina was a prolific artist, and also a tragic one. He was the mid-west Bob Dylan that very few people were aware of. Sadly, he left this world too soon and left a void where his shape used to be.
Jason drank himself to death at the young age of 39. To those who listened to his music, the thought of Jason being gone seemed unfathomable, yet also possible. He was an artist that always seemed like he was there, but also wasn’t. He was grounded, yet also afloat.
After his death in 2013, I visited some of his most poignant songs and listened to them in a quiet room. There, I dissected his lyrics and reinterpreted them into poems of my own. Thoughts of his death weighed heavy on my mind and I wondered if his lyrics ever hinted at his inner turmoil.
Allow me to present to my readers what I affectionally call “The Jason Molina Project.” The format is as follows:
1- I chose a Jason Molina song and provide a link to it for readers to listen to.
2- I pull out a section of lyrics and present them as stand-alone poems.
3- I present a poem that I wrote as direct result of his lines in my attempt to try to understand him.
4- I include a photo of myself to tie all the concepts together.
So, without further ado, may I present to you the first installment of “The Jason Molina Project.” Enjoy.
poem: Spinoza, part 1
song: An Ace Unable To Change (click on words to open up song)
“Tonight I am gambling with my sentiment…
Tonight I am damned to my soul.”
-Jason Molina
Too afraid to
not
believe.
You can’t help
but not to
believe
anyway.
You throw the
dice
and take
the chances
with your
soul.
A gambling man
who doesn’t
fear
wagering
his ever last.
-krista.
for my Jason Molina tribute series. An all encompassing article about him can be read here.
Thank you for reading!
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