I love the brief attention given to how a word is transformed through its second utterance in a poem, the way music does. I was just reflecting on this listening to a piece of music the other day, how a repeated section feels different, being informed by the first time it is played, even though the notes are the same. In all my years of living, and through all the selves I carry with me, I have never lost the wonder I feel about this. I love the way you show us how poetry can do the same thing. Great writing today, as always!
thanks so much, John! Appreciate the insight on music. There's a song by the pianist and composer Nils Frahm called "Said and Done"...give it a listen. It functions almost entirely on an insistent repetition of a single note. It's always been one of my favorites.
Oh, that’s really nice! I love how the different chords cast shade and light on the one note melody, then the sudden starkness when the chords cease momentarily, then the breath taken at the end when the melody falls away. I’m not familiar with his music. Thanks for the recommendation!!
"... The joy of being surprised by an old friend, or seeing in someone’s eyes a different color as their face turns toward the light ..."
There is a generosity and a luminosity in your writing that is compelling, Sunday after Sunday, as you experience poetry on a deep level, giving me the opportunity to do the same.
I am once again blown away by how attentive and perceptive you are as a reader, how artfully you are able to convey both what the poem is saying (and leaving implied), and what goes on in your mind when you consider it. It seems to me that attention is the starting point for a process that leads to appreciation and potentially to joy. The poems you share, and the way you open them up for your readers, are a gift to all of us. Thank you, again.
I love the brief attention given to how a word is transformed through its second utterance in a poem, the way music does. I was just reflecting on this listening to a piece of music the other day, how a repeated section feels different, being informed by the first time it is played, even though the notes are the same. In all my years of living, and through all the selves I carry with me, I have never lost the wonder I feel about this. I love the way you show us how poetry can do the same thing. Great writing today, as always!
thanks so much, John! Appreciate the insight on music. There's a song by the pianist and composer Nils Frahm called "Said and Done"...give it a listen. It functions almost entirely on an insistent repetition of a single note. It's always been one of my favorites.
Oh, that’s really nice! I love how the different chords cast shade and light on the one note melody, then the sudden starkness when the chords cease momentarily, then the breath taken at the end when the melody falls away. I’m not familiar with his music. Thanks for the recommendation!!
"... The joy of being surprised by an old friend, or seeing in someone’s eyes a different color as their face turns toward the light ..."
There is a generosity and a luminosity in your writing that is compelling, Sunday after Sunday, as you experience poetry on a deep level, giving me the opportunity to do the same.
I am once again blown away by how attentive and perceptive you are as a reader, how artfully you are able to convey both what the poem is saying (and leaving implied), and what goes on in your mind when you consider it. It seems to me that attention is the starting point for a process that leads to appreciation and potentially to joy. The poems you share, and the way you open them up for your readers, are a gift to all of us. Thank you, again.
Thanks always, Bruce. Appreciate you.