A rising plume from the smokestack of a passing ship - met the sky above in perfect harmony as I was reading about the passing of Irish singer-songwriter Glen Hansard.

I often mention that a ship - or vehicle - represents a life path. Hansard died in a motorcycle accident yesterday - the two themes merging for me as I sat at my computer.

If you live by the water in Bay Ridge, you know that it is often customary to take a boat ride that passes under the bridge to scatter the ashes of someone you love.

It's a short life, and there's so little time

And there's a real risk stirring
That we may never put these troubles to right

It's a dangerous lie that we've got endless time
But there's a real hope hovering
That we may one day get some good across the line

In this short life
We only get so much time
At the wheel.

So we drive that mile
We pull the sense inside

We spend the first part running
And the next part waving goodbye

To a short life
We only get so much timev At the wheel

In this short life
There'll be no going back this time
Don't throw it away

Rising up unready in the morning
Rising up at the close of day
Rising up late, wondering if you're still awake

Time enough for sleeping through the winter
"Time enough" to miss a day
"Time enough' goes quickly," don't you throw it away

I know this goodwill don't mean anything
I know we're judged only on the light that we bring
I hope your heart is bearing up

You went too far, too fast
I knew you were a skylarker right to the last
This golden tongue will soon be dust

But when you kick it up
We'll rise in backlit particles
You won't have to go it alone

Running out of step, step, running out of road
We're running out of step, step, running out of road

Running out of step, step, running out of road
Running out of step, step, running out of road (Running out of)

Falling out of step, step, running out of road
Falling out of step, step, running out of road (Running out of)
Running out of step, step, running out of road
Running out of step, step, running out of road

Skylarking

Skylarking, isn't it a way that we can go?