Summer Music from Joan McNerney

Tonight Joan McNerney joins the summer music challenge.  Since she has written a number of poems inspired by paintings, I thought I'd post Van Gogh's "The Starry Night" above her poem.



Tonight


Our sky is brocaded with stars
born from nebulous clouds.
Clouds weaving in heaven
drifting through airy dance.
Tango of helium hydrogen
sizzling up like fireworks
blazing bursting open.


The air grows redolent with
clusters of night blooming jasmine.
Blue starlight glides over
black horizon.  Cosmic butterfly
ballet---tonight the moon is new.


Joan McNerney

Shimmering

That summer I wanted to
take off all my clothes.
Be naked under the sun.
Tango all over warm grass,
so warm, warm.

Noontime perfumed berries
and lush grass.  Beneath honey
locust through hushed woods
We found this spring,
a secret susurrus disco.

My feet began two-stepping
over slippery pebbles.
Threading soft water
the sun dresses us in
golden sequins.

Your hand reaches for me.


Joan McNerney

Night Waltz

O Michael tonight
I am dreaming of you.

We trace night while
skipping up slender
ladders of darkness
past the full moon.

Over silver light into
star light we dance
through air redolent
with lilacs.  Your eyes
glow like burning comets
as we waltz over clouds.

O Michael tonight
I dreamed of you and
woke to find you
sleeping at my side.


 Joan McNerney

Clifford Brown's version of "Stardust" will be a fine accompaniment for Joan's poems:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9v3yiKJaahU

I think you may enjoy Don McLean's tribute to Vincent Van Gogh:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oxHnRfhDmrk

I know I've posted "Night in Tunisia" before, but it goes so well with Joan's poems:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0oZNrcF14Dg

Let's finish with the Modern Jazz All-Stars' version of "Memories of You": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GM314yXgGJU

Enjoy!