Saturday, August 8, 2015

More Summer Music



As I was saying to a friend of mine, since I teach, August is more like pre-fall than summer to me. However, it is summer for almost everyone in this hemisphere, so tonight, I would like to post more poems from the summer music contest.  First is "Summer Music" from David Rodrigues, a poet from Portugal.


SUMMER MUSIC



Summer music
Is not heard by ears.
Is composed inside each person
Full of brief and minimal pauses
Between long notes
Sung by the bees flight,
By the buzzer chants,
And by the sound of midday sun
Smashing the earth.

Summer music has not sound:
Is felt by bodies longed for daybreaks,
for twilights, for fiestas, for siestas.
Everything is real in this music
With all smells, all tastes
All touches, all sights.
The silence is real too.
Because it comes from inside
and can be heard by the bodies only
and for who loves them.

David Rodrigues,
Lisbon, Portugal.



Karen O'Leary's poem is about summer storms, another feature of this season, which some of us love and others have had far too much of.  I personally love that storms chase heat and humidity away.

Storm Music

The mighty thunder claps its warning signs,
With haunting restless rhythm sets the stage.
The whistling wind, melodic as it whines,
An eerie chorus clamors loud with rage.


In gentle harmony and background song.
The swishing, rustling leaves respond anew.
A broken gate in motion squeaks along,
Unhindered earthy tones are humming too.


The pitter-patter drummed by steady rain
Is nature’s lulling song to those who hear.
Enchanted groans explode in clashing strain,
Surprise the soul and boldly claim the ear.


Intrigued by primal rhythms fresh and free,
The stormy music captures you and me.


By Karen O'Leary

Despite what David wrote in his poem, I would like to include a little summer music here, too.  These songs will get you ready for the fall contests, specifically the Latin Jazz contest.

Here Tito Puente performs Ran Kan Kan in Orchard Beach, which I believe is in the Bronx. 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CWZo86w1Vg0


In this video, he is with Celia Cruz:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zm2C5hx4sI0

Mongo Santamaria's "Watermelon Man" is another summer song:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ueI84_LU_9w

Poncho Sanchez is performing at another summer festival, this one being in Laguna Beach:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LX0FgmgEs_4

I'll finish with Danilo Perez.  What is more summery than a Friday Morning?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NTJit6sFzp8






15 comments:

  1. Dear Marianne,

    Thank you so much for publishing by poem in such a beautiful way. Congratulations to David for being published here to. This is a beautiful site. I hope it continues to thrive.

    Blessings,
    Karen

    ReplyDelete
  2. maianne i read teh poems regarding music .they are beautiul
    congratulations to david and karen our fellow poets
    beautiful lwork
    thanks marianne for always posting such beautiful artistry
    ritamarie recine

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dear Ritamarie,

      Thank you so much for your kind words. I am so grateful to Marianne for publishing my poem at her beautiful site.

      Best wishes,
      Karen

      Delete
  3. Dear Marianne, Karen and Ritamarie: it's my pleasure to share this beautiful site with you. Last month I presented my 8th book of poetry and I said: "Don't be too far from poetry, if you do so, poetry will be far from you!". I belive that we have to live near things, environments and persons that inspire us. That's why I feel so confortable here... Best!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Congratulations, David, on your new book! I hope it is a big success!

      Karen

      Delete
    2. Karen: If you send me your postal address I will send you a booklet I printed to offer to my friends. Best, David.

      Delete
    3. Dear David,

      Do you have an email address that I could sent my mailing to. I would rather not have my address on a website. Thank you for your kind offer.
      My email address is gksm@cableone.net

      Karen

      Delete
  4. I really enjoyed this presentation, as these Summer winds graced our terrain... Both poems struck a strong chord, particularly the sonnet, which is my comfort zone... Congratulations to David & Karen. They make a formidable team here.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Michael. :) I will pass these comments onto David and Karen.

      Delete
    2. Dear Michael,

      Thank you for your congrats and kind words. You are such a uplifting voice in the writing community, my friend. I appreciate your ongoing support.

      Blessings,
      Karen

      Delete
  5. Your summer storm appeals to my senses, Karen. Love the imagery in this lovely sonnet. Thanks for sharing. Blessings. ~ paul

    ReplyDelete
  6. Dear Paul,

    Thank you for your kind words, my friend. Glad you enjoyed this one. I really appreciate your ongoing support.

    Blessings,
    Karen

    ReplyDelete
  7. Hello David and Karen. I have enjoyed both your poems. Congratulations on being published here. In "Summer Music" I like the alternate poetic reflection of the poem, in the way it describes music in another "light." That opening two lines are amazing and capturing. In "Storm Music," I like the way Karen describes the storm making music. Creatively done and passionate. Upon reading it for a second time, I am drawn to the overall reflection of the poem that I find in the second stanza, "In gentle harmony and background song. The swishing, rustling leaves respond anew. A broken gate in motion squeaks along, Unhindered earthy tones are humming too." Gentle, soft and enduring. Nice job both of you. Thank you for sharing and continued blessings! -MJ

    Thank you as well, Marianne, for providing this wonderful site where writers can express their passions in print. Continued blessings to you! -MJ

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dear Maurice,

      Thank you so much for your kind words and all the time you took to pen your thoughts, my friend. You have been so encouraging to me and a light in the writing community. Yes, Marianne's site a beautiful place to share the gift of words.

      Blessings,
      Karen

      Delete