I love music.
It gets me through
lifts me up
and puts a beat
to my thoughts
constant, rampant
and unsettled.
I love the raw
desire and scratchy
pleads of Robert Plant
and the honest soul
of Joplin,
and the way Hendrix
could speak through
his guitar.
Some people enjoy
making mountains
out of mole hills,
you've heard the
expression before
I'm sure.
Well I like to
make eighth notes
and quarter notes,
whole notes
and half notes
and climb up
the treble clef
until i reach
the top and
perch myself on
its melody.
I need sound
as reassurance.
It acts as
a soft breeze
inside this chest,
heaving with
congested tears
and trembles
that took sleep
from me last night.
It's times like
these that I
would die
if I was deaf
but wouldn't mind
if I went blind.
I've seen enough
now I just want
to listen
and christen
my bones.
It's times like
these that I
would prefer
static over silence,
the soft wurrrr
and buzzing
of my bass amp
than the flat cold
nothing that has
threatened to fill
and swallow
me already.
But it's alright
'cause I know
and thankfully have
this Cancerian,
an inspiring example
of a harmonius man
and he is my muse.
He is my music.
And I'd be glad
and grateful
to alter the key
if it would get him
just a couple steps
closer to me.
I may have temporarily
forgotten how to sing,
how to find it in me
with my insides all dusty
and torn and sighing.
I may have ditched
a plausible plot
and gotten caught
in my own web
but if I can't have
music, if I cant have you,
then I'd rather be dead.
Comments
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To me, this says 'I'm back.' I think it marks the moment when you became an artist again, Kristin, and it represents a reconnecting with yourself, truthfully and honestly, as a person.
I like the way you describe music here, and I can relate. Music does have that ability to lift us up and inspire us, and to cast our emotions about as capriciously as the wind tosses around the autumn leaves. It is a great tool if it is used wisely, and I have even heard that sound and light are the same, and that we merely perceive them as different things because of the separate organs with which we receive them, and that, in actual fact, they intertwine themselves around one another. Perhaps this goes some way towards explaining the power of sound.
I like your frenzied energy, which I think you are beginning to harness. I say this because of the compactness of the stanzas here, and the way you get across what you're saying with relatively few words. I also like the way you use words like 'raw', 'scratchy' and 'honest' to describe the music you mention, as it gives the reader concrete impressions, and a little sound-imagery to draw him/her in. The way you describe music as a stairs is quaint and original, and one gets an image of you scrambling up the notes to really perch upon their summit, which is inspiring.
I like the alliteration of 'die' and 'deaf', and the rhyme of 'mind' and 'blind,' as it helps the poem to flow, and the general stanza helps to reinforce the passion behind the piece. I am also very flattered at the reference to me, although I feel it would be pretentious for me to analyse that part. Suffice to say that I am glad that I have had such a positive influence on you, and that, simply put, I love you.
One gets the impression here that music is really your life-line, and this is summed up effectively with the last stanza. The piece serves as a tribute to music, and does a great job of summing up your love for it. Like I said, Kristin, this poem says 'I'm back,' and marks a return to form. I only hope that, some day soon, music won't be your only lifeline.
Love,
Samwise
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:D
Thank you, Sam, for your wonderful and extensive review of this. I'd say you did a fine job with not being too personal, though a large part of it is about--you guessed it--you.
I do think I'm back. I do think I have harnessed my anxiety. I do think I will have another lifeline soon and I'm sure you can guess what that is.
I love you too, sweet Cancerian.
Kristin
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well, i can definitely relate to the sentiment put forth in this poem; music has been a major part of my life for a long time now and thats probably what compelled me to respond here.
i honestly believe that were it not for music, i would have died during my rougher rebellious years. music allows me a release and has become a staple, a guardian of my sanity.
anyway, i generally find that i like to be more cryptic, so the first line of the poem seemed too obvious to me. then again you risk seeming pretentious if you leave it out. i might just rephrase. a taste issue i think. i thought that "puts a beat to my thoughts" was great. ive long enjoyed the idea of having a "soundtrack to life" that is unique to each individual.
"and climb up the treble clef until i reach the top and perch myself on its melody"- whats great about this is that you almost personify the treble clef based on your relation to it, yet it remains inanimate. i visualize a shrunken you climbing a huge symbol that is extremely slippery, a tough climb for sure, but the melody waiting for you at the top is so sweet a payoff that it makes the toil and hardship, the frequent frustration of music, all worth it. i love that here the treble clef "owns" the melody like an ancient deity or something.
also appealing was the line about dieing if you were deaf, preferring blindness. very strong; so extreme. cant help but wonder if the standard mother's warning wouldn't come into play, you know the one about losing your hearing after listen to loud music (ironic if you went deaf after going blind, but not exactly important her).
well, there is more, but ive already written a novel. my apologies.
great lines
-theo
ps. i would develop your cancerian being your music a little bit more, again possibly just preference.
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Hey, Theo
Thanks so much for such an extensive comment! No need to apologize for the essay of a critique, I quite like that.
Obviously, due to your experience you related to this pretty well. I'm glad the opinion can be shared enough to relate and all in all, understand.
Music helped me through my rough times as well. Not having it to ease me would be suicide and to me it's as necessary as food and water.
I agree with you that I should add more to the part of my Cancerian since he is wonderful enough to deserve that, ha. I was feeling that part was bare and I would be glad to put in more heart felt words and add to its effectiveness.
Thanks again, really. Lovely to hear from you,
Cat
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