TFE posted some songs that I was supposed to use as inspiration for a poem - and truly, that was my intention. But then things happened.
First of all, Leonard Cohen fainted during his concert in Valencia. That's a major shock to my aging Canadian heart. He can't be doing that sort of thing. But - it seems he had food poisoning, and he's okay now. Phew.
I found out about the 'okay now' part this morning, when I listened to Tom Allen's show, Radio 2 Morning, on the CBC. I also found out that today is Leonard's 75th birthday. Woo-hoo! Party time!
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I celebrated by snagging one of the wee carrot cake samples that Starbucks was giving out this morning. I think Leonard celebrated by going to Barcelona for his next concert.
All of this is by way of hinting that the songs I chose were Leonard's "Dance Me to the End of Love" and "Anthem". I considered "Hallelujah", my perennial favourite, but Anthem's words were calling me - "Forget your perfect offering. Ring the bell that still can ring....There is a crack, a crack in everything. That's how the light gets in."
The Songs -
The Poem -
Equinox
On this last day of summer,
the hourglass tips
and tumbles into fall
while I bask in the music
of a burning violin,
the fire of Chagall made sound.
While I think about what might be lost,
and mourn the fire that used to be,
a harsh voice smolders still,
denies the advancing cold,
declares a deathless war on death,
claims for its own the last embers.
I regret so many things about my life,
but I regret regret most of all.
The Wish
I wish us all a happy Fall Equinox. May we treasure all our days.
Click here to read all the Monday Poems that TFE has inspired (well, mandated, really, but that's just his way. We love him anyway.) ;>)
7 comments:
Oh, I really like the burning violin & Chagall! & Happy Birthday to L Cohen. Eberle & I once played Dance Me to the End of Love as a wedding processional (at the bride & groom's request). They danced down the aisle!
first stanza a belter. the violin and chagall reminds me of a ferlighetti poem whose name i have curently forgotten...
To Swiss:
Don't let that horse
eat that violin
cried Chagall's mother
But he
kept right on
painting
And became famous
And kept on painting
The Horse With Violin In Mouth
And when he finally finished it
he jumped up upon the horse
and rode away
waving the violin
And then with a low bow gave it
to the first naked nude he ran across
And there were no strings
attached
oh, that's so nice. The hourglass tipping and tumbling into fall is just exactly right!
Thank you!
Thanks, John. Isn't it a great song?
Swiss, that would be Don't Let That Horse - and you can find it at http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/don-t-let-that-horse/
Aha! I see that John has found it for you. Thanks, John.
NanU, thank you. The hourglass has landed now, and I'm sitting here with a blanket over my legs. That was too quick!
Thank you for reminding me. Did you know that Peter Gzowski, David Suzuki and Leonard Cohen were all born in the same year. You could bounce a quarter off Suzuki's chest.
We had to abandon Tom Allen and the new format after many years. We love him but the drivel he was playing was very depressing first thing in the am. Enough Ron Sexsmith and Fiest wannabes. We moved to a Jazz station with Ralph Benmurgui first thing in the morning. It's really not much better though.
Ah, Clever Pup, I feel your pain. I listen to Tom until I can't stand hearing the music he's playing, then switch the radio off until Tempo starts. I used to love waking up to Tom's cheery voice and his unique take on classical music.
What I find most annoying is that the CBC keeps chirping about how if we aren't getting enough classical music now, we can just go to their website and listen to the classical stream. Right. As long as we're free to sit at our computers all day.
Let's march for a CBC3, all classical, all the time, okay?
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