Article Archives: Words with Woods

Impossible Dreams (Two)

June 18, 2026 | by CJ Woods III

In May 1969, the R & B group “The Temptations” appeared on the Ed Sullivan show and sang a song that became a theme for me and the woman I would marry in July of that same year. “The Impossible Dream” was composed by Mitch Leah, with lyrics written by … Read More

Impossible Dreams

June 11, 2026 | by CJ Woods III

In 2003, I was living in St. Louis Missouri; I’d relocated there after my job in the L.S. Ayres’ advertising department was eliminated when the store closed. My new job with Famous Barr, the St. Louis department store, was also in the advertising department. My apartment was 8 blocks from … Read More

Something About Pittsburgh

June 4, 2026 | by CJ Woods III

Someone with whom I was having a conversation said that they did not know that Pittsburgh had such a foundation in music, especially, jazz. I mentioned that jazz-guitar player George Benson was from Pittsburgh, and that my uncle Donald had a jazz band, with a piano player named “Fritz” Jones. … Read More

11 Labs A’ Licking

May 21, 2026 | by CJ Woods III

My yellow lab had 11 puppies, one night. I was there for the birth of all of them. “Allie Dog Woods,” as my youngest daughter called her, was sweet and gentle, and loved to chew the rubber on the gas grill. (Wait- that last one wasn’t a good thing.) But … Read More

The Howl of May

May 14, 2026 | by CJ Woods III

Three motorcycles roared Eastward on 10th Street, passing me with blatting pipes; one was a “tri-ped,” and someone had installed speakers that put out multi-decibel aural insults. As I walked down E. 10th Street, I added the sounds of those motorcycles to the roar of glasspack muffler-equipped muscle cars, their … Read More