Monday, November 20, 2017

Poems That Sing! by Rosemary, Mary and Truedessa

In the same week, three poets, Rosemary, Mary and Truedessa, posted poems about singing that lifted my heart. I thought they might do the same for yours, so I swiftly gathered them together in a bouquet, just for you. Enjoy!






I Sing

I sing softly and sadly
I sing sadly and softly

I sing in the middle of your delight
and at the edge of your last anguish

I sing as if the day would never end
I sing slowly at midnight and quickly at dawn

I sing to the wind and the stars and the dark
I sing to the treetops and to their trunks

I sing to small frogs in the rainwater pipe
also to the bees that visit my clover

I sing in the cities, among their towers
I sing in rainforests and alongside rivers

I sing with the sea and with thunder
with jagged rocks and rising mountains

I sing in the language of a cat
and in the colours of a butterfly

in the pouring rain I sing
in the burning sun I sing

I will never stop singing



Sherry: This is so beautiful. Yes, never stop singing, Rosemary. We are always listening for your song.

Rosemary: I became aware of something that felt like a little tickle in the back of my mind, about my poetry. I felt that perhaps I needed to try a new form – maybe a short form. Hedgewitch started a 'Friday 55' prompt at her blog. It began in September, but I had such a busy September that I was rarely online and didn't find out about it until the end of the month. It sounded like just what I was after, so I dashed off four (for the four Fridays I'd missed).


But then I pretty soon realised that I wasn't very thrilled with them. They struck me as banal and boring. I assessed myself as having fallen, over time, into a mode of cosy domestic realism which had become my default position. Not where I wanted to remain! For sure it has its place, but please, not for the rest of my writing life. What is it to be any kind of artist, if we don't keep exploring new possibilities?

I decided to just open up my mind and see what poured forth from the subconscious. It was a little like channelling. Several intensely emotional pieces flowed on to the page. They’re not autobiographical – except that at my age I've experienced a range of human emotions, so I guess they're all still in there somewhere. 

'I Sing' was the third of these pieces, which all happened in quick succession. This one goes beyond describing an emotional state, to something more spiritual. 

I have no idea where it came from. Some deep place inside me? A gift from the angels of poetry? I didn't know, ahead of writing them, what words I was going to use nor the shape they would take on the page. 
I am no singer in the literal sense. I have a poor ear for music, and am told I don't sing in tune (something my listeners can hear but I can’t). But it's clear to me, and I hope to readers, that it isn't about singing with the voice.

I thought my friend Raeline's response (serendipitously, the first comment made) expressed a perfect understanding. 'In the key of the heart and melody of the soul,' she said. It felt like that.

Sherry: And the reader feels it, as we read, Rosemary. It is so beautiful. It is a breathtaking piece of writing, and such an affirmation of life, of living every moment we are here. Thank you so much.

Let's read Mary's poem on this theme. I love it so much.






I Sing

I sing in the morning
and all the day long

I sing softly or loudly
I cannot stop my singing

I sing of my sadness
and of my delight

I sing of the memories
to brighten my day

I sing of the sadness
I cannot forget

I sing of my hopes
may they not be dashed

I sing of trees
and colorful autumn leaves

I sing of water
and the essence of life

I sing to my dogs
they always understand

I will sing to you too
when you need a song




Sherry: I love this, Mary. It lifts the heart. As I read both of these poems, I think what a nice prompt "I Sing" might be, one of these weeks. We all need a song to sing these days!

Mary: First of all, I wrote my poem “I Sing” after having read Rosemary’s poem with the same title.

I then decided to write my own ‘singing’ poem! After deciding to do this, I no longer looked back at Rosemary’s.  I just wrote what my ‘muse’ inspired me to write as I thought about the occasions that might inspire me to sing, and the feelings I might have as I sang. 

I was especially pleased with the last stanza I came up with, the way I wrote it TO the reader:

"I will sing to you too
when you need a song”

I intended it to be a personal and uplifting ending. And the more I thought about it the more I also realized that our poetry IS personal.  We are all ‘singing songs’ to one another in our poetry, aren’t we?  We all hope that somehow our poems affect others in a personal way. 

Perhaps sometimes we are even fortunate enough to write the poem (song) that someone really needs that particular day.

Sherry: And that is the very best feeling of all. Thank you for this, Mary. And for your years of dedication and hard work, keeping Poets United chugging serenely along.

Soon after Rosemary's and Mary's song poems, Truedessa posted one, and this feature formed in my mind's eye. Smiles. Let's read.





My photo



searching for you in the depth of night
crossing realms into our parallel world
lying in your arms, everything felt right
in stillness, romantic thoughts swirled

I'll give you this song it's all I've got
I'll give you my heart and that's a lot

surrendering my love, traveling fast
sharing my soul, sometimes I cried
wondering if the magic would last
in the dead of night, part of me died

if this is a dream, forget me not
if this is a dream, wake me not
if this is a dream we've shared a lot
if this is a dream, we've loved a lot

I've watched your life twist and bend
an evolving star in this earthly show
when lights dimmed, I was your friend
always on the sideline, never front row

I'll give you this song it's all I've got
I'll give you my heart and that's a lot

caught in mists of suspended reality
afraid to open my eyes, fear of losing you
breaking the boundaries of normality
tell me our wondrous journey was true

if this is a dream, forget me not
if this is a dream, wake me not
if this is a dream we've shared a lot
if this is a dream, we've loved a lot

searching for you in the depth of night
crossing realms into our parallel world
lying in your arms, everything felt right
in stillness, romantic thoughts swirled

I'll give you this song it's all I've got
I'll give you my heart and that's a lot

surrendering my love, waves of delight

waiting for you in our secret place
on wide wings my heart takes flight
soft fingertips, outline your face

if this is a dream, forget me not
if this is a dream, wake me not
if this is a dream we've shared a lot
if this is a dream, we've loved a lot

I'll give you this song it's all I've got
I'll give you my heart and that's a lot

twas, just a dream it seems



Sherry: How I love "I'll give you this song, it's all I've got / I'll give you my heart, and that's a lot". This poem would make the most beautiful song, True. I can almost hear it.


Truedessa: Thank you so much for featuring my poem. This particular piece is about a journey that intertwines two souls in a deeper level of consciousness. It represents a connection that seems to have crossed some kind of parallel world, and the writer and reader wonder if it is reality or fantasy. "I'll Give You This Song" is a gift of unconditional love in bittersweet circumstances.

Sherry: Unconditional love is the truest love there is. I love the idea of two souls meeting at a deeper level of consciousness. Those connections are always life-changing.


Thank you so much, ladies, for these wonderful, uplifting poems.  They truly sing. You have heartened us for the week ahead. Do come back, friends, and see who we talk to next. Who knows? It might be you!

24 comments:

  1. After reading these, my heart is singing, the sun is shining and I am about to walk the beach with dogs. Life doesnt get any better! Thank you, Rosemary, Mary and True, for your beautiful words.

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    1. Thank you Sherry for featuring my poem. I am honored to share the poetic stage with the talents of Rosemary and Mary. I admire their art. I often feel life is a musical opera filled with songs. We are the composers each day adding a new note. May we always hear and sing the songs of our hearts. Maybe, someday the world will sing in harmony, one can hope.

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    2. That is my hope, too, my friend. Meanwhile, we will keep singing.

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  2. What an inspiring post. Thank you, once again, for this, Sherry.

    There is something about the word 'sing' that, in and of itself, tweaks the mind set into a pleasanter place. I think Rosemary summed it up beautifully: 'it isn't about singing with the voice'.

    I really related to Mary's comment, as well. '... our poetry IS personal. We are all ‘singing songs’ to one another in our poetry...' For me the concept of singing through our poetry, connotes that personal quest to lift ourselves (and sometimes, others) up - rather than waiting for a lightness of spirit to find us. As well, sometimes, I think it is about trying to 'connect' in any number of ways that one feels a connection.

    I love Truedessa's line 'I'll give you this song it's all I've got' because it expresses the reality that - no matter what we have lost ... or perhaps, how disconnected we feel ... we are human and we can 'sing' ... we can endeavor to lift ourselves up.

    I enjoyed these 'singing' poems. Great job on this, Poets.


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    1. Singing to lift ourselves up rather than waiting......that really resonates with me, Wendy. And I love Mary's thoughts about how we are singing to each other through our poems. Yes!

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    2. Wendy thank you for your comment and your support in my writing endeavors. It is true as long as we can sing, we can be uplifted.

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  3. Poetry is itself similar to lyrics of a song where rhyming is maintained (in most cases) As such poems can readily be sung if a tune is provided. Thanks Sherry for getting the 3 most prolific lady poets without a doubt. Rosemary , Mary and True are also Hank's favorites.

    Hank

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    1. I am so happy you enjoyed this feature, Hank. So nice to see you here.

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    2. Thanks Sherry Ma'am for this community service. You are wonderful!

      Hank

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    3. Thank you Hank! I sometimes feel life is a series of rhymes.

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  4. Wow! Wow! Wow! These lifted my spirits, all three. I'm especially fond of: "I will sing to you too / when you need a song" and "I sing in the middle of your delight / and at the edge of your last anguish" and the refrain of the third poem "If ...".

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    1. Thank you Susan for hearing and feeling our songs!

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  5. Aah...these poems come in this morning as a sweet breeze. Each sunlit word glides into the heart with joy. Thank you Rosemary, Mary, Truedessa and Sherry for this treat. Songs sung into souls by souls. "on wide wings my heart takes flight".....

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    1. Thank you Sumana may you fly high above the stars and moon. Listening to the vibrations of the universe.

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  6. Lovely to find this here just now, and to be teamed with Mary and Truedessa. What serendipity that we all wrote singing poems in the same week! I am complimented that Mary's joyous poem was inspired by mine. I think we all sing together very sweetly (smile) and I feel joyful all over again after reading this feature.

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    1. It shows the power of the written (and sung) word, to affect the spirit. It is good when we strive for the positive ones, when possible, though the sad or angst-driven words sometimes have their place, in a world this topsy-turvy.

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  7. Lovely words from three lovely ladies.
    I wish we would sing more for the joy it brings. I often feel like breaking into song whilst shopping at the supermarket...
    Anna :o]

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  8. I really enjoyed seeing how this feature came together, Sherry! You did a remarkable job of working with this theme; and, of course, I love my poem featured alongside both Truedessa's and Rosemary's greatly. I DO hope we all sing as long as we can in whichever ways we can - poetry being at the top of the list! Smiles.

    Rosemary, your poem is the one that inspired my poem. I love the way good things can spread, like rays of sunshine, in the poetry blogosphere. I really hope each of us can continue to say "I will never stop singing."

    Truedessa, I share your sentiment....I hope that the world will one day sing in unison again!! What beautiful harmony could be made.

    Wendy, I like the idea that poetry is a personal quest to lift ourselves up. I think this is exactly what I tried to do in this poem. Lift myself up rather than allowing myself to settle into the 'down' of an uncertain world.

    Hank... It is an honor to be one of your 'favorites.' Smiles.

    Thank you also, Rosemary, Susan, Sumana, Truedessa, Anna, for your words. "Singing" is definitely something we can all relate to.

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    1. I love when poems come together with the comnined effect of raising everyone's spirits. I really love the "I Sing!" theme.

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  9. I love the inspiration offered by these three poems. They awaken the song our lives can be. Thanks to Rosemary, Mary and Trudessa for sharing their song. Thanks to you too Sherry for knowing what nourishes our souls.

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  10. Loved reading this interview. Can relate to embracing those heart-racing,spine-tingling moments offered by the three poets! Art and music are right up there like 'oxygen' for me, although I'm far from being the best. Thanks for sharing your songs Rosemary, Mary and Trudessa! Thanks a lot, Sherry for allowing us to connect with the soul-stirring songs. Thank you.

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  11. In reading these gorgeous poems my mind wandered back thousands of years when mankind was learniir heads. Realising they needed to show their happiness, triumph or grief they tried uttering their feelings differently and songs were born. Sadly singing is not my forte so it is good we can all express ourselves in different ways. Thank you so much everybody.

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  12. Oh wow Sherry these are amazing....very spiritual from deep inside our true selves...these songs bubble forth. Every poet has lifted me with their songs. I like to look at my poetry as my soul singing and now it makes more sense to me as it is! Thank you all for sharing your songs....

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