ode to Peter

my Brother ….

By henry john

The lyrics for the early 70's hit song Daniel' were written by Bernie Taupin, Elton Jon's writing partner. He explained the inspiration in a story about soldiers in the early 70's, coming back from the Vietnam war'. they were these simple sort of down home" country guys, who were generally embarrassed by both the adulation and, depending on what part of the country you came from, the animosity that they were greeted by. For the most part, they just wanted to get back to a normal life. finding it hard, what with all those "looks" and the "monkeys of war", that they carried on their backs.

Taupin took it from there and wrote it from a younger brother's perspective; he made him disabled and him just wanting to get away. I made it Spain, basically, because it rhymes with plane.". When Elton wrote the music for this song, he chopped off the last verse because he thought the song was already too long. The deleted verse explained that "Daniel" was a Vietnam vet who returned home to the farm after the war, couldn't find peace, and decided to leave America and go to Spain. With the last verse chopped off, it became a fairly vague story of two brothers who part ways, although Bernie Taupin says that losing the verse wasn't a big deal. Stowing away to France. was Elton's way of entering a creative environment

free from distractions - there was no entourage and no phones.

If I'd written "that verse!" 

it would be from my brothers perspective. I was the older brother Peter had as a kid. and Growing up under my wing he was protected, I could lord over my younger sibling, you looked up to me, I, was brilliant, Bold and fearless

look at me the wrong way and I likely busted you up. 

I had a temper, to say the least.

Then something happened. 'something had changed. The part where Elton sings;  "your eyes have died..." I now see from your perspective, how it was. I had vision, I could see... but looking into my eyes must have been painful. Because I was no longer there. The brother named Henry Jr. after your father; was gone. the Henry spearot was replaced by the guy that thought it was OK to crash your pickup with no apology.

I am sorry, for all the pain I caused you!. I was so far away for many years, further west than you,  it allowed you to have, or build in you memory of me, the brother of your desire. You told stories about  the big brother you once had.

Then! 

I returned.