THE SOUND OF THE TREES by: Robert Frost (1874-1963) I wonder about the trees. Why do we wish to bear Forever the noise of these More than another noise So close to our dwelling place? We suffer them by the day Till we lose all measure of pace, And fixity in our joys, And acquire a listening air. They are that that talks of going But never gets away; And that talks no less for knowing, As it grows wiser and older, That now it … Continue reading →
The Butterfly by: Alphonse de Lamartine (1790-1869) translated from the French byGeoffrey Barto To be born with the spring, and with the roses die, On the wing of the breeze swim through the sky so pure, Balanced on the breast of flowers barely closed, Drinking in their perfumes, the light and the blue sky, Shaking off, still so young, the dust upon its wings, Flying off like a breath to the eternal vault, This is the butterfly’s enchanted destiny! It’s like the desire that is … Continue reading →
Landscape with the Fall of Icarus, 1554 Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium by Pieter Brueghel Oil on canvas In Ancient Greek mythology, Icarus succeeded in flying, with wings made of feathers secured with wax, but he flew too close to the sun, melting the wax, and fell into the sea and drowned. His legs can be seen in the water, just below the ship. Landscape with the Fall of Icarus by William Carlos Williams (1883 – 1963) According to Brueghel when Icarus fell … Continue reading →
Grandfather Mountain, North Carolina by Helen Hopper Invictus By W.E. Henley, 1875 Out of the night that covers me, Black as the pit from pole to pole, I thank whatever gods may be For my unconquerable soul. In the fell clutch of circumstance I have not winced nor cried aloud. Under the bludgeonings of chance My head is bloody, but unbow’d. Beyond this place of wrath and tears Looms but the Horror of the shade, And yet the menace of the years Finds and shall … Continue reading →
Jazz Band By Frank Marshall Davis Play that thing, you jazz mad fools! Boil a skyscraper with a jungle Dish it to ’em sweet and hot- Ahhhhhhhhh Rip it open then sew it up, jazz band! Thick bass notes from a moon faced drum Saxophones moan, banjo strings hum High thin notes from the cornet’s throat Trombone snorting, bass horn snorting Short tan notes from the piano And the short tan notes from the piano Plink plank plunk a plunk Plink plank plunk a plunk … Continue reading →
Charlie Parker by Jack Kerouac Charlie Parker looked like Buddha Charlie Parker, who recently died Laughing at a juggler on the TV After weeks of strain and sickness, Was called the Perfect Musician. And his expression on his face Was as calm, beautiful, and profound As the image of the Buddha Represented in the East, the lidded eyes The expression that says “All Is Well” This was what Charlie Parker Said when he played, All is Well. You had the feeling of early-in-the-morning … Continue reading →
Jazz Fantasia Carl Sandburg, 1919 Drum on your drums, batter on your banjoes, sob on the long cool winding saxophones. Go to it, O jazzmen. Sling your knuckles on the bottoms of the happy tin pans, let your trombones ooze, and go husha- husha-hush with the slippery sand-paper. Moan like an autumn wind high in the lonesome treetops, moan soft like you wanted somebody terrible, cry like a racing car slipping away from a motorcycle cop, bang-bang! you jazzmen, bang altogether drums, traps, banjoes, … Continue reading →
Jazz and the blues were a great influence on the poetry of Lanston Hughes (1902 – 1967). He was one of the first American poets to experiment with these distinctly American musical forms created by black people. While Langston was living in France in 1923, he worked washing dishes at a club. He was swept away at the sounds of jazz and the blues, which inspired him to write poems in his head as he scrubbed. He heard jazz and blues live at clubs and … Continue reading →
Sans Souci pointing to toys in the window of Murray’s. That’s the name that popped into my head. It was on 1st Avenue and about 16th Street in Manhattan in the development called Stuyvesant Town where Laurita and I grew up. .. ~The Sans Souci archives. Photos by dad, Jack Margulies . addendum: to see the rewritten version for publication, scroll down to bottom. . A Poem For My Sister ©12/7/08 I might have been 11, so you were 5 and under my care; … Continue reading →
“Big Lives, Little Lives” by Beryl Cook “How High The Moon” by Ella Fitzgerald Hello, and welcome back to Poetry Wednesday 11/05/08. You can sign in today and take the tour ! The Poetry Wednesday lounge will be open Monday-Friday this week to give you more time to post your poetry and take the tour. Don’t forget to get out and vote on Tuesday, November 4th, in this important election ! My sister, Sans Souci, will be celebrating her 60th birthday on Wednesday, November 5, so … Continue reading →
