besides i wore a black dress, smoke-shade scarf with little dots, grey business blazer &red lipstick to distract from crazy curls

Posted on by claudia
on my lunchbreak walk today...

on my lunchbreak walk today…

.

i wonder if it’s in her body
or the quaver flag’s long neck,
sitting beaming on the stave
half-moon round&
filled—

with her own melody ?

i’m a commuter on the highway

&it started with a six string
love affair //at eighteen

cross-legged on the kitchen table
with three chords a friend taught
“it’s enough to play
most songs
add their minor bros

they all just cook with water–”

in front the soccer stadium as i pass
a locomotive, green// tin
somewhat out of place
i sing her song towards the slide down pane

as if i knew it

just the feel,
a slice of moment//mood
within a tune
&rusty patches on her cheeks

reflect.

the play of sunlight

.

Anthony has us write music at dVerse…doors open at 3pm EST

41 responses to “besides i wore a black dress, smoke-shade scarf with little dots, grey business blazer &red lipstick to distract from crazy curls”

  1. Once again you’ve captured something which I think we all do…flow between our own thoughts and the lyrics of the song…almost writing a new tune.

  7. cool. i like how you made the distinction there in the opening…def get the music note…and an interesting thought on where her melody lies…i started on a six string as well…in the graveyard, writing songs…they all cool with water…ha…nice way of putting that…i like how you find her song, even when things are a bit out of place…and that you find it by feel…yeah, that is about right…smiles.

  8. I love what music does to poetry and vice versa…and you captured the mystic in this. Got to go to the Reno Philharmonic this weekend. What a treat! A celebration of Nevada’s 150th admission to the Union. (When it became a State).

  9. Most inanimate objects become female–boats, planes, freight trains, but for me a locomotive is male, all-muscle, John Henry with his pile driver; love this piece, it does sing, zing, & sting. You are the renaissance woman poet, artist, & musician.

  13. … started playing age 6 … never could tolerate being taught though … one of my students is my teacher … go figure … 🙂

    • Mark, three chords would become might tiresome to the ear and the psyche–SOON. As would poetry (with but three descriptive words). There IS some. You know it when you read it. The writers in this realm of dVerse (and others) fortunately use all the chords, major, minor, diminished, and all their extensions. I’m just LOVIN’ it and LOVIN’ life, thanks to you People!

  15. I admire this part :

    a slice of moment//mood
    within a tune
    &rusty patches on her cheeks

    I am not musical at all so I envy people who play the instruments or get the tune right away ~

  16. It all started with a four-string love affair at age 6…ooops, was writing MY story. HA!
    “…the feel, a slice of moment//mood” is where I landed in this, having known so many thousands of those. Could those be a preview of heaven?Would not surprise me
    Such sublimity.

    Think I’ll take walk during my “lunch break” tomorrow

    and as I leisurely step along
    observe what I see–in song

  17. Your mention of the three chords reminded me of my friends who were beginning to play the guitar. Interesting that so many of our musical memories are associated with youth rather than ten years ago.

  18. Claudia, I do believe I have a new favorite of yours too. This is fantastic the way you weaved the sound and images brought us in and let us play among the notes of your words. Brilliant!

  22. Love the images – you riding to work, passing the green tin train, sitting cross legged on the kitchen table..and rusty cheeks to me says singing while biking down on an autumn morning.

  23. i always loved the guitar.. and the fingers could do the piano.. something about those strings.. did not match these digital fingers.. it seems…

    And yes.. if we can just keep the songs of life..to three chords.. things in life..

    will truly vw kinder and gentler.. than an autobahn.. highway.. on speed..:)

  26. I’ve always wished I could play guitar – have been attracted to its sinuous shape and easy accompaniment to voice and emotions. The first stanza in particular is sheer music!

  30. Mood has a lot to do with music – your guitar reminds of the time when I wanted to learn to play violin, and now all I do is hum 🙂

  36. first, it’s lovely to see you claudia!

    the title is enchanting ~ i had to read it three times before the poem so that i could capture every detail. (by the way, i am quite envious of your curls!)

    you have such a unique way of elevating what most see but don’t really pay attention to ~ i always take away the feeling of your passion for life, no matter what the subject of your observations.

    the last three lines of this piece leave a stunning impression. absolutely love the entire poem!

    ♥

  38. Hi Claudia,

    Ah, six string love affair, I remember that love. Wonderful flow as usual. I was read your blog a while back, and had posted some pics you made, pencil if I remember, lots of cafe scenes. Just wanted to let you know how much I enjoyed those. Are you still drawing? Would love to see more if you have them

  40. first – cool Doc Martens. second, google the Axis of Awesome “Four Chord Song”, which is very funny, and apropos to this great verse:

    It’s enough to play
    most songs
    and their minor bros

    ~