The cello began to make demands.
"You must make allowances for me," it said.
"I am overfilled with grief, like a suicide's bathtub."
"I will bow you more gently," said the girl.
"Gently shmently," said the cello.
"Make me a tree again, restore my rings and skin."
"Cash me ousside, how bow da?" said the girl.
"Cry me a river, cello.
We both moan from inside our changed bodies,
Bowed by handsy players who take bows for our fracaso."
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for Sunday Muse #163.
fracaso--Spanish for defeat, ruin, downfall, calamity, destruction
That is terrific. OK, I thought I had the smarty-pants "give voice to the cello poem", but this is way better. The suicide line to die for. "Make me a tree again, restore my rings and skin" - exactly. Found the Dr. Phil clip. Awesome. And then you hit the high notes again, with sustain and vibrato: "We both moan from inside our changed bodies, Bowed by handsy players who take bows for our fracaso",
ReplyDeleteSense some frustration here Shay. Do you not like wooden instruments, or am I missing something? I love wooden instruments. I will try to retrace to where your upset originates .
ReplyDeleteOn the contrary, I love wooden music. But this is an allegory; it really isn't about music at all.
DeleteCertainly it is — damn, I need sleep Shay. Sharp I ain’t today, sorry.
DeleteThis is where my head has been the past few days… https://www.image-verse.com/requiem …think I’m going through some disturbingly dark mental metamorphosis.
DeleteOh my goodness. Each poem so brilliant they leave me breathless. I, too, most loved the "Make me a tree again" lines. Gah. So freaking brilliant I have no idea why you are not wildly famous - you are with us online, but the literary world is missing out.
ReplyDeleteThe voice you gave the cello and the duet of conversation between the two is utter brilliance my friend! You never ever disappoint!!
ReplyDeleteI love the simmering voodoo in this. Very Marie Laveau.
ReplyDeleteAll the demands, all at once--this captures and reveals discomfort.
ReplyDeleteThis is full of startling imagery and delicate word play. You reveal things lurking in this photo that can only be seen with a poet's squint eye. Your end-lines are all killers. Time and change are never delivered gently, it seems. I told you you were magic.
ReplyDeleteGotta love that cello's attitude!!! And the girl's!!! Another stunning gift.
ReplyDeleteShay, the label you gave it, "never trust a talking corpse" says it all. I enjoyed the dialogue between the two. I also love your musical selection!
ReplyDeleteWhat a poem! The depth in those words to retain it to its old form. Just awesome. Take a bow, Shay :)
ReplyDeletethis dialogue between player and played is so imaginative - brilliant lines not least:
ReplyDelete"You must make allowances for me," it said.
"I am overfilled with grief, like a suicide's bathtub.""
What a conversation ! I had to look up 'Cash me ousside, how bow da' - the cellist looks like Danielle from Dr Phil. An amazing poem. Loved it.
ReplyDeleteOne of those poems that are catching and makes one want to reread and reread it. Wow!
ReplyDeleteAs always, you wowed me..." We both moan from inside our changed bodies" love that line. Beautiful music to accompany your poem.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely amazing Shay. I am in awe.
ReplyDelete"I am overfilled with grief, like a suicide's bathtub" i thought that line was rather clever. love the spirit of this poem, enjoyed much
ReplyDelete"We both moan from inside our changed bodies" - Love that line,
ReplyDeleteand the entire poem.
Shay--Everyone who reads your poems here know that your labels are gems right along with the lines of your poems. A little David Bowie... The brilliant double use of "bow"... "never trust a talking corpse"... incredible labels.
ReplyDeleteThe lines I especially loved: "I am overfilled with grief, like a suicide's bathtub.... Make me a tree again, restore my rings and skin....We both moan from inside our changed bodies... Bowed by handsy players who take bows for our fracaso." Handsy players. So so brilliant and so true.
I hiked among redwoods yesterday. A giant stump maybe 12 feet wide was ringed by 3' diameter trees, in the way that redwoods propagate, each ar least 120' tall. How big was the center, when towering? I wondered what expensive homes had slab tables cut from the trunk, each asking the same cello question.
ReplyDelete