In the Daze of My Youth
by Michael Doyle

I found myself recently taking a pause,
Reliving the music that brought applause.
You see, in the daze of my youth,
Led Zeppelin and the like were my truth.

Whatever it was, the critics said,
They seemed a bit lost, coming across a bit dead.
Led Zeppelin One was where it had begun,
This straight-laced boy was rapidly undone.

As they cross-faded into eternity,
Their blend of music rewrote my history.
Selling not just a song but the skill
To produce stupendous sounds at will.

The good and bad times of their sound
Found the time of Rock come around
To something spread across the sequence
Of being an album by pre-selected preference.

To me, there was no such communication breakdown.
It's a serious business, not to be a musical clown.
When the body and soul connection are chased around,
It becomes a thundering wall of distorted sound.

I witnessed an outrageous boogie across each stage,
As I watched the interplay between Plant and Page.
Though witnessed in various stages of their inebriation,
The band and their fans joined hands in celebration.

Here was a band playing essentially for themselves,
With no need to please critics or anyone else.
The music played out as if it were perhaps the master,
While the dance floor spun just a little faster.

Breaking down the doors as on wildfire,
Even the Wolfman howled this gospel's desire.
Across the world, Rock's fame brought fascination,
While the arenas were filled with anticipation.

Smelling the flickers of obvious flame,
While the fans rose in passion to raging new fame.
Dazed and confused across the land,
It became a time when everyone got the band.

Rock god fire was easy to see in the eyes,
As the boys in the band began to improvise.
There was as much music in the occasional pause
As the notes blazed, echoing off the walls.

As fast as lightning and caught up in the groove,
The atmosphere was legendary as the band began to move.
Rapid-fire lines shared with a violin's vibrato,
This breath of fame simply started to flow. 

(c) September 20, 2025   Michael Doyle
All Rights Reserved