S2 Ep7 Kid at Heart

Network Sting: MSW Media

Martin Sheen: Hello, and welcome to the second season of the Martin Sheen podcast with yours truly, Martin Sheen, of course. And I’m delighted to be back hosting this podcast pilgrimage, where the destination is still the journey itself. Along the way, I plan to share stories and personal memories of some of the many people, place, places, and events that have helped to shape my lifelong happy and continuing struggle as an artist and a man to unite the will of the spirit with the work of the flesh. I also hope to explore poetry as a powerful form of expression and communication by proxy, as it were, and how poetry is such a vital and necessary component of our spirituality and our public discourse. And from time to time, I’ll invite friends, fellow actors, poets, scholars, and family members to join our pilgrimage and discuss what inspires their artistic journey. And so, friends, let us begin.

This episode celebrates children as well as the child in all of us. The poems and literature of our youth often stay with us long after we’ve grown, together with the memories and lessons of childhood that still guide us. And some remain just below the surface of whatever tough exterior we may have built along the way.

Martin: I Remember Marlon.

I had been a lifelong admirer of Marlon Brando. His unique character and dazzling talent were a powerful source of inspiration to every serious actor of my generation. But he was far more than a cinema icon. For most of his adult life, he was an outspoken advocate for social justice, often risking his career publicly supporting Martin Luther King, Jr. and the Civil Rights movement, as well as Native American rights and universal human rights. In fact, he inspired much of my own activism and made me proud to be an actor. And I always hoped for an opportunity to meet him someday and tell him so. But I never imagined that I would actually work with him.

Suddenly, in the spring of 1976, the unimaginable became reality when I arrived in the Philippines to begin filming Apocalypse Now and a life changing adventure began. Marlon was every bit the powerful image projected for decades, but the simple reality of his presence and common humanity were completely disarming. And his genuine kindness and compassion, coupled with his infectious sense of humor, were commonplace with everyone he encountered during his all too brief time working on that film.

But my family and I were especially blessed to have shared some wonderful and intimate moments with him, some of which were recounted in Along the Way, the father and son memoir I wrote with my son Emilio, published in 2012.

Clearly, Marlon was most himself in the company of children who generally had no preconceived image of him. And our four youngsters were no exception. We all treasured those very special nights when he would suddenly appear and join us for dinner at our cabin, which was just down the hill from his at Lake Caliraya. And since his own family was not able to join him on this location, we were delighted to be his surrogate family. He would hold us all in rapt attention, sharing stories, singing songs and telling jokes. And one night he had us all in stitches, laughing for an hour and a half at his outrageous presentation that he entitled The History of the Human Race, making up things as he went along with hilarious and brilliant interpretations of many of the heroes and villains of the past 5,000 years. It was a combination of classic stand-up comedy and acting genius for a private audience of four children and two adults on a very distant location in the middle of the Philippine jungle more than 40 years ago. And it remains my fondest memory of Marlon.

Consider This from Mark Twain. I have never let my schooling interfere with my education.

Martin: We’re gonna take a little break here, but I assure you there’s much more to come. Stay tuned. Welcome back. I’m glad you stayed. And now

Martin: the poetry of Robert Louis Stevenson in a Child’s Garden of Verses, first published in 1885, still resonates to this day. And whether read to children by a parent or a grandparent or like me, a great grandparent to their great grand grandchildren, it is such a delight to see how much joy it brings to children hearing it for the first time. Here now a selection of poems from a Child’s Garden of Verses by Robert Louis Stevenson.

We begin with “Where Go the boats?”

Dark brown is the river golden is the sand

It flows along forever with trees on either hand

Green leaves afloat in castles on the foam

Of mine all a-boating, where will all come home?

On goes the river and out past the mill

Away down the valley, away down the hill

Away down the river a hundred miles or more

Other little children shall bring my boats ashore

And now “The Land of Nod”

From breakfast on throughout all the day

At home among my friends I stay

But every night I go abroad

Afar into the land of nod

All by myself I have to go

With none to tell me what to do

All alone beside the streams and up the mountainsides of dreams

The strangest things are there for me

Both things to eat and things to see

And many frightening sights abroad

Till morning in the land of nod

Try as I like to find the way I never can get back by day

Nor can remember plain and clear

The curious music that I hear.

Here is “Block City”

What are you able to build with your blocks?

Castles and palaces, temples and docks

Rain may keep raining and others go to roam

But I can be happy and building at home

Let the sofa be mountains and the carpet be sea

There I’ll establish a city for me

A kirk and a mill and a palace beside

And the harbor as well where my vessels may hide

Great is the palace with pillar and wall

A sort of a tower on top of it all

And steps coming down in an orderly way

To where my toy vessels lie safe in the bay

This one is sailing and that one is moored

Hark to the song of the sailors aboard

And see on the steps of my palace the kings

Coming and going with presents and things

Now I have done it down, let it go

All in a moment the town is laid low

Block upon block laying scattered and free

What is there left of my town by the sea?

Yet as I saw it, I see it again

The kirk and the palace, the ships and the men

As long as I live and where’ er I may be

I’ll always remember my town by the sea

And finally “Good Night”

When the bright lamp is carried in,

The sunless hours again begin;

O’er all without, in field and lane,

The haunted night returns again.

Now we behold the embers flee

About the fire lit hearth; and see

Our faces painted as we pass,

Like pictures on the window glass.

Must we to bed indeed? Well then,

Let us arise and go like men,

And face with an undaunted tread

the long black passage up to bed.

Farewell, O brother, sister, sire!

O pleasant party round the fire!

The songs you sing, the tales you tell,

Till far tomorrow, fare ye well!

 

Martin: Robert Louis Stevenson was born November 13, 1850 in Edinburgh, Scotland. He was a novelist, essayist, poet and travel writer. He was the author of the beloved children’s novel Treasure Island, famous the world over, as well as The Strange Case of Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and the acclaimed children’s poetry collection A Child’s Garden of Verses. He was living in Samoa at the time of his death, December 3, 1894. Robert Louis Stevenson was 44 years old.

Martin: Please stay with us. We’ll be right back. And we’re back.

Martin: Consider This here again from Mark Twain. Always obey your parents when they are present.

Speakers: California is the best of the United States from 13 original colonies. Shout em. Scout em. Tell all about em. One by one to get to the U- S- A…

Speaker: I can sing the states without even the whole song.

Martin: It’s not every day I get a chance to sit down with my three great granddaughters for a little chat. But getting an 11-year-old and two 7 year olds to sit down together is a big deal. And having a talk with all three at one time was a challenge, but with joyful results. I was prepared, honestly, for anything and everything. But I was pleasantly surprised too at how much fun we had. It’s a wonderful testament to their mother and father. Their mother, of course, being my granddaughter Cassandra and their father, Casey. And how kind their three daughters are and what lovely young girls they’re growing up to be. All three love to dance and draw and write their own poetry which they’re going to recite for us today. And I’m happy to be a part of their lives and encourage them to continue their love of the arts. So, I couldn’t be more proud to share the following interview with Luna and her twin sisters, Sara and Jade.

Martin: I am so pleased today to welcome a very special young lady to our program. Her name is Luna and she happens to be my great granddaughter. So, Luna, welcome. Thank you for joining us.

Luna: Hi.

Martin: Tell us, huh, how old you are?

Luna: I’m 11.

Martin: When is your birthday?

Luna: July 16.

Martin: What year?

Luna:… 2013.

Martin: You had to think about it for a little bit. And you go to school?

Luna: Yeah.

Martin: And what grade are you in?

Luna: I’m in fifth grade.

Martin: Okay. And who is your favorite teacher?

Luna: Probably my fourth grade teacher, Ms. Loughrie.

Martin: What made her so important to you?

Luna: She was really funny and sweet and she cared about everybody.

Martin: Okay. And so, is that the kind of person you looked up to? Kind of a heroic image for you?

Luna: Yeah.

Martin: You’d like to be like her?

Luna: Yeah.

Martin: Okay. And what is your favorite subject?

Luna: I really like art and writing.

Martin: Really?

Luna: Yeah.

Martin: And what kind of writing do you write? Stories, poems?

Luna: I really like fantasy.

Martin: Oh, really? Okay. And you’re a dancer as well?

Luna: Yes.

Martin: I know that because I saw you perform. Tell us about the group you worked with.

Luna: So in the winter we do the Nutcracker and in the summer we just do a random performance. Okay, we’re actually working on that right now.

Martin: Okay, good. What is your favorite dance to do?

Luna: I really like hip hop and contemporary.

Martin: And what do you see yourself becoming as you become yourself as you grow older? You see yourself as a dancer, a singer, or both?

Luna: I’ve seen myself recently as like a uh, poetic dancer.

Martin: Really?

Luna: Yeah.

Martin: So I want to ask you, do you have a knock-knock joke you want to share with us?

Luna: Um, let me think for a second.

Martin: Okay. Would you like to hear one while we’re waiting?

Luna: Sure.

Martin: So, um. Oh, Bruce, you’re on. Bruce is our knock-knock expert. I just know one.

Bruce: Knock, knock.

Luna & Martin: Who’s there?

Bruce: Interrupting cow.

Luna & Martin: Interrupting-

Bruce: Moo!

Martin: Okay, um, would you like to introduce your sisters and we’ll welcome them to the podcast?

Luna: Sure. We have Jade and Sarah. They’re twin sisters, and they’re both six years old.

Sara & Jade: Seven!

Martin : So seven.

Luna: Their birthday just passed.

Martin: And when is that day?

Sara: January 31st.

Martin: January 31st. Really? In 2000 when?

Sare: 18.

Martin: 20.

Martin: 18.

Martin: So. So. And what grade are you in?

Sara: First grade.

Jade: First grade.

Martin: First grade. Okay, good. And who is your favorite teacher?

Sara: Um, I really liked my teacher last year.

Martin: Who was it?

Sara: Ms. Solney.

Martin: Ms. Solney. Okay. And you?

Jade: Um, last year, too. Mrs. Wall.

Martin: Mrs. Wall. Okay, good. So I want to ask you, who is your closest friend besides your family or your parents?

Sara: Um, my best friend is probably, um. Noah.

Martin: Noah.

Martin: And what is her last name? Or. You don’t want to give her away. Keep her anonymous. Noah. Okay.

Sara: She does like me. She never tells me, though.

Martin: All right, and let’s hear from your sister. I want to hear if you’ll be willing to share. Who is your closest friend in school?

Jade: I have a lot of friends.

Martin: You have? Not a favorite one?

Jade: No.

Martin: Uh, is there one that you wish was your favorite?

Jade: Charlie.

Martin: Charlie. Your grandpa?

Jade: No!

Sara: But your friend.

Martin: Your friend named Charlie. Oh, it’s a boy.

Jade: No.

Martin: Oh, sorry. It’s a girl named Charlie.

Jade: Yes.

Martin: Okay, swell. Okay. Do you have any pets?

Sara: Yes, it’s a dog. She’s a Pekingese. Her name is Marla. Uh, she’s like, 15, 16.

Martin: How old is that dog years?

Jade: I thought she was 14.

Sara: I don’t know. She’s like, 80 or something.

Martin: 80 years something. She’s almost as old as I am. How old do you think I am?

Sara: Uh, 84.

Martin: Is that a number you just picked out of the air?

Jade: 75.

Martin: What’s the oldest person you’ve ever met besides me?…Don’t tell me I’m it! What do you do together that you enjoy?

Luna: They like playing Barbies.

Martin: Barbies? Really?

Sara: We also like, um, to, like, draw or coloring. Coloring. I do a, um, coloring contest.

Luna: I like to do that with them. Um.

Martin: You do?

Luna: Yeah. Yeah, we like coloring.

Sara: One of us is like a judge or something. Yeah, we have to test who’s drawing is better.

Martin Sheen: The other two pick something to draw of a. Huh.

Sara: A hat.

Martin Sheen: And then they just, like, draw it and see who draws it better.

Sara: It’s like, you don’t have to do anything, like, realistic. If you can, if you want to. But, like, once, me and Luna did the exactly same thing. Like, I was the judge, and she was pretty good, but I chose Luna.

Martin: You chose Luna over Jade? Whoa.

Martin: How did that. How did that go down, Jade?

Jade: Good.

Martin: Yeah. What was the, tell me. Sorry, Jade.

Martin: So, Sara. Sara, tell me, what was the drawing? What was the subject of the drawing?

Jade: I’m not sure. It was like a rainstorm.

Sara: No, it was a rainstorm. And a soccer ball.

Jade: And the soccer ball.

Sara: And a grassy field.

Martin: Okay, good deal. And, Jade, what about you? What is the one thing that you would want to do?

Jade: I really like doing art.

Martin: I hear you’re pretty good.

Sara: She is.

Jade: Yeah.

Martin: All right.

Jade: I’m way better than Sara. Uh,

Martin: So, Luna, I’m just absolutely fascinated by your poem “I Wonder What Happens.” And I just wanted to know, are you ready to, uh, read it?

Luna: Sure.

Martin Sheen: Okay.

Martin: So, uh, introduce yourself and the name of the poem. And then, uh, you know, have at it.

Luna: “I Wonder What Happens” by Luna.

I wonder what happens after you die.

Do you go to heaven or to hell?

Do you get to see your old family?

Or do you just disappear into nothing?

I wonder what happens if birds stop singing

Do you listen to other animals or to nothing?

Do trees still sound happy or does the world just go silent?

I wonder what happens if there is no color

Do you still see the same things or are they different?

Do you feel a little sick or does it not matter?

Oh, how I wonder.

Martin Sheen: Nice.That was really lovely. Well done. I really enjoyed that. Yeah, well done.

Sara: I’ll share a poem.

Martin: Go ahead. This is Sarah. You got it in memory.

Sara: “In the Sky Up High” by Sara

In the sky up high the birds flutter and fly

In the trees so tall the birds stumble and fall

With butterflies in the sky,  flowers on the ground

Growing so tall that butterflies bees.

Yes. They all made me so happy.

Martin: Oh, wow. Well done. Did you write that?

Sara: Yes.

Martin: You did. You wrote that? Wow.

Casey: Okay, Good, Sarah.

Martin: So, um, I just wonder if any of you want to, uh, share anything at all.

Sara: Yeah.

Martin: Oh, really? Okay, let’s hear it. Go ahead.

Luna, Sara & Jade: “The Pets Are All Gone” by Great, great, great Grandpa.

We have no dog. We have no cat.

Not even a bird in a cage.

The dog chased the cat

And the bird passed away from old age.

Martin: Very well done. I can’t tell you how long we have, uh, waited for you to come and do this poem. And we couldn’t be more pleased. If this were your program and you were signing off, Sara, how would you end the program?

Sara: Like, thank you for coming. Have a great day.

Luna: So long.

Martin: And for our final selection, “Playing Games” by William Earhart.

You’d think they were playing for an NBA championship ring or maybe a berth in the Final Four. At least a high school division title. The way they scramble for rebounds. Pass the ball around the perimeter, look for the open player inside, shoot from the top of the key or drive hard for the layup. Fight for loose balls, all elbows and knees and ponytails flying. A few of the girls were big for their age. Most are not yet 5ft tall, bantam bundles of energy. The Middle east reeks of hate. Putin is using North Koreans to put the screws to Ukraine. We live each day in the shadow of nuclear war and global warming, and the recent US Elections give little reason for hope. But this morning these girls are having fun playing basketball, and I’m having fun on the sidelines watching these girls having fun. And one can almost believe God’s in His heaven. All’s right with the world.

St. John’s vs St. Madeline’s December 27, 2024

Martin: WD Earhart is a poet, writer, scholar and teacher, as well as a Marine Corps combat veteran of the American War in Vietnam. His work is a blend of social commentary and personal experience. He lives and works in Pennsylvania and regularly contributes to the New Hampshire Gazette. I invite you to delve further into the works of the poets I shared with you, and I hope you seek out writers and poets whose work speaks to your hearts and minds with the power to inspire your life. You can find a complete list of the poets and titles of their poems that I’ve chosen at our website, themartensheenpodcast.com

I want to thank the people who make this podcast possible. Our producer and research assistant Renee Estevez, who assures me that the internet is a real thing and a safe place if not used off label. And our sound engineer and editor, Bruce Greenspan, the man behind these rich and seamless recordings. And to his dog Gracie, our studio mascot who snores in perfect pentameter.

And so, friends, we part with the prayer from Tagore.

And so, friends, we part with the prayer from Tagore.

Where the heart is without fear and the head is held high;

Where knowledge is free;

Where the world has not been broken up into fragments by narrow domestic walls;

Where words come out from the depth of truth;

Where tireless striving stretches its arms towards perfection;

Where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way into the dreary desert sand of dead habit;

Where the mind is led forward by thee into ever-widening thought and action—

Into that heaven of freedom (my Father) let our country awake. Amen

The Martin Sheen Podcast all rights reserved. No part of this podcast may be reproduced, distributed or transmitted in any form without prior written consent of the author and TE Productions.

The story I Remember Marlon by Ramon Gerard Estevez, AKA Martin Sheen, is included here by granted copyright permission.

The poems “High Up In the Sky” by Sarah and “I Wonder What Happens” by Luna are included here by granted copyright permission, and we thank them for the opportunity to share their work.

Playing games by W. D. Earhart is included here by granted copyright permission and we thank him for the opportunity to share his work.