Welcome to Alyssa Trivett!

We have lost too many poets in the past year or two.  One of them is the poet whom Alyssa Trivett honors in "For a Friend." This poet was also known for hosting open mics in Alyssa's area.

For a Friend

How do I relay this to you

without knocking on the glass coffin?

I want to pick up your hand

and light your throat on fire

for you to spew a few lines again.

Tried to write a passage 

or two to honor you but all that

came about was this.

I'd take a sip from the hourglass 

to make time stop

to borrow a coffee moment,

as the grains of sand run out, 

down the drain and 

out the revolving door exit,

to say hello again,

or for you to introduce me 

as the girl who wrote a poetry chapbook 

on my way to open mic.

As you always did.

So long, friend.

What I Lived Through Last Year

Every once in a while
they come around,
demons and angels tug o' war,
like dust lingering in attic
as crickets of laundry
chirp in the next side-room over.
I don't ask for them.
Reminders don't get
me down anymore.
Songs play and I recall
driving in the '85 Dodge Caravan
with the windows down,
tape deck fully appetizer,
this was '93 maybe,
at the old house.
I stopped revolving my Wednesdays
around the weekly visits,
it was too taxing,
and all I can think of at the gravesite
is the nearby warehouse beeping
and spying on my own
shadow in hungover sunlight.
It all comes in
slipping off diving board intervals
and my heart blooms from it,
and your voice box in my head
firecrackers off every
once in a while,
I let it.

Photograph by Kiah Ankoor

Soccer Field

Birds crane necks towards a grey 

Wednesday morning

hungover sky

near a broken goal,

with missing net and

graffiti of human anatomy.

Empty beer cans loiter.

They march,

like children leading a revolt.

Porta-potty is flopping in the wind,

or, “the John”

as my grandparents used to call it. 

Artwork by Juan Gris

He

He had that bowling alley 

cigarette smoking throat,

I loved him, regardless,

and he sat and 

howled coffee,

with stars

on his forehead.

He must not have 

had anywhere

in the world of Carmen Sandiego to be,

sliding his pen off the table

and head into 

the cereal bowl.

A diving board contest ten.

Bio:

Alyssa Trivett is a wandering soul from the Midwest. When not working two jobs, she chirps down coffee while scrawling lines on the back of gas station receipts. Her work has recently appeared at The Rye Whiskey Review and Beakful.

Ah ha, since my husband has finished putting the bookshelf together, I can add a little music for these poems.

Did you know that there is a song called "Midwestern Night's Dream"?  This is Gary Burton's version from 1976:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TgyFOraJxvc

Pharoah Sanders follows with "Harvest Time":  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ii63fKLTSuU

Here Nina Simone is covering Bob Dylan's "Tom Thumb's Blues":  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ij1UDMr3B-E

Enjoy!

Whispers Poets on the Theme of Song

Dear The song is…readers,

It is a privilege to share poems from six of Whispers’ talented writers.  With the topic of song, requested by Editor/Publisher Marianne Szlyk, writers from six different countries responded.  The eclectic mix of poetry is a joy to share with you.

Music wells from deep within us…the song of our hearts nestled in soft melodies or maybe at times a clash of cymbals.  It walks on with our lives, a part of our souls.

After 5 ½ years of publishing, Whispers closed for submissions in June. I invite people to share in the treasures I feel blessed to have published. I would be happy to facilitate any requests to such as this one.

Sincerely,

Karen O’Leary

Whispers’ Editor

karenoleary1956@gmail.com

http://whispersinthewind333.blogspot.com/

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that song 

By Peggy Dugan French, United States

the one that lingers deep into the night

brings a smile of remembrance

or a tear of regret

soothes a broken heart

calms a ragged soul

simmers in the midnight hour

leisurely entertains on Sunday mornings

gently lulls a child to sleep

introduces the kids to the classics

blares from a teenager’s room

fills the house with holiday traditions

keeps us company on the road

gracefully fills a wedding aisle

and hovers over a final resting place with honor

of the many songs that fill our past

nothing compares to the song that is us

Peggy Dugan French lives in Cardiff, California and publishes the small print zine, Shemom.

________________________

Tunes of hope

By Inge Wesdijk, The Netherlands

A dissonant chord

starts to tear down

the harmonious melody

between my body and spirit

Causing anger and distrust

leaving shattered dreams behind

The sweet tinkling

of colorful wind chimes

interweaving tunes of hope

and encouragement

into my life's composition

Restoring my newfound faith

Inge Wesdijk hailed from The Netherlands, a talented writer who was Whispers’ Poetry Editor.

________________________

Dreamy Lady*

By Jack Horne, England

He sang, 'Oh, dreamy lady' to

the woman of his dreams; and I

was meeting you that day and felt

you were the one...contented sigh...

I hear that song and think of you; 

I clear my throat and wipe my eyes,

recalling better times when I

was innocent to all your lies.

Our love was doomed - I see that now;

I wasn't in your future plan;

the song still moves me, yet I know

you're gone and have another man.

*Inspired by Marc Bolan's song

Jack Horne lives in Plymouth, England, and enjoys writing poems and short stories.

________________________

Lost Love

By Gert Knop, Germany

And when I stood there,

thoughtful caught in memories

remembering

those unforgotten tunes,

and never-ending dreams.

And see us yet,

still walking hand in hand

and listen to the bird songs,

what a lovely dream,

I wished would never end.

But what remained of our love?

Only those songs and melodies?

An empty heart,

yet with desire,

A piece of driftwood like,

and long extinguished fire.

Gert W. Knop, born in 1943 lives in Zittau, Germany.

________________________

A Cicada Song

By Paul Callus, Malta

I sit underneath an old gnarled tree

watching sunlight filtering through

clustered leaves, relishing the smell

of ripe carobs ready for picking.

Ignoring lethargy, a cicada erupts into song –

a few stuttering attempts followed by a

prolonged bout of monotonous intensity.

I fill a tin mug with cool well water from

the pail beside me. Savouring its freshness

I close my eyes and travel back in time

to when the field buzzed with activity –

grandfather, uncles, parents and children

defying the hot summer temperature,

clambering branches, lashing with rods,

heaping brown carob pods on the ground

before transferring them into sacks, ready

to be loaded on the horse-drawn cart.

Nothing much has changed, except that

now I am not a child anymore, but a

frail old man who sits alone reminiscing...  

Paul Callus has been writing prose and poetry for over 50 years, his preferred mediums being Maltese and English.

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The Song Is ....... Spring (with Maria Callas)

By Isha Wagner

The dead mouse has lain

a long time on the backyard stair

Why it chose to die there

Why I chose to leave it be

Now spring is changing the scene

As Maria's voice shatters the warm air

Lemons and oranges have flourished

White camellias have blossomed

And I think it's time now to sweep

up the mouse with the dead leaves

and depart from the cold season

As Maria sings.

Isha Wagner lives in the Wairarapa, New Zealand, and likes putting words on paper to form ideas.

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Let's start with Maria Callas' aria from La Traviata:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m7yKFQJEavU

Recently my husband and I went to hear some local jazz musicians at the Strathmore.  Among them was the violinist David Schulman.  Here he plays "Agua Madruga" with his band Quiet Life Motel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bzzZwC9zdsU

I'm not sure who sings on this song "Home," but David Schulman plays the violin here:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dkk_dsfbuiE

OK, I saw that Tillery is the vocalist.

This is Marc Bolan's "Dreamy Lady":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZEd-jv5BPWs

Enjoy!

Welcome to Flynn Taylor!

Tonight, after a long, hard semester, I would like to post a striking story that a friend of a former student sent me.  Enjoy!

Spanish Fly

It’s another day of blue sky, another walk, another errand.  I was crossing sideways to the other side of the gravel road when a deep shout came from a vintage mustang, pleading me to stop.  The baritone voice sounded familiar, something I heard long, long ago but I could not make it out.  I strolled over cautiously, slowly and then he said his name.  My heart nearly stopped.

In another time, things were simple.  I was younger; I showed off my million dollar tanned legs in denim minis.  I shook my long blonde hair and pranced around skillfully showing off my assets.  Perry, Gloria, Gucci, and Calvin ruled the world.  I was laughing at life, shinning like a star.  That was when we would never grow old or sick, everything was forever.

When he got out of the car, I remembered all that and I also remembered a gorgeous guy with creamy skin and short jet black hair, jeans accenting his firm hips and a wide bright smile to greet me which made me weak in the knees.  

Oh how I wanted to learn Spanish!

Luis was the boy I could never get out of my system.  I felt like his smile was only reserved for me.  He was smart, sexy, and oh so funny.  We would spin conversation hour after hour and it was always REAL.  Sitting together, pushing each other’s buttons as little kids do when they like each other, we pretended that everything was perfect.  In his bright eyes, I was alive.  We were so comfortable, yet uncomfortable.  The vibe between us sometimes created a wedge by which was hard to pass.  

He once said “My wife might have a problem with that.” 

That was the one thing that could never be ignored.

But our attention never died as hard as we tried to not to face it, we just skirted around it the best we could.  We would knock shoulders when sitting on the steps, playfully teasing each other and battling to make our points.  However, there was one incident when I finally shared how I felt with a poem I wrote.  He listened patiently, attentively, as I softly spoke the words of yearning buried so deep.  He was touched yet he would not touch me.  I told myself it was wrong.  At times we may have been frail in knowing what we felt, but we still remained like oaks even if that tension never faded.

Then one day he was playing with my hand, and my heart sounded.  He was an unbelievable flirt and noticed my silver ring.  He twirled it around and gently tugged at it.   He asked if he could have it.  He could I resist?? He slid it off my finger and on to his.  That was that.  I would like to think that made him mine but I knew the truth.

The pages turn, now torn, weathered and yellowed.  I wondered what had happened in those lost years we drifted apart, that disappeared through the travels of life’s timeline.  All of these images brought us here.

The man that jumped out of his car to meet me at the curb was NOT my Luis.  He was unfamiliar.  He lacked the bravado of the sensual Spanish senor’ I knew years ago.  The one that could Salsa like the flamingos, one that could serenade me with “Maxi Priest” and leave me on the floor and the one whose smile let me know he was thinking the same, even if he never acted on it.  All that was left before my tearful eyes was a sketch, the details losing their sharp lines, the gaps lost and the man I once loved was gone.

He asked how I was.  I tried to hide my pain with a smile and giggled. 

I said “How much time have you got?” 

 He said “Let me take you to dinner.” 

Oh how I wished he said that some twenty years ago.  How can time be so cruel?  This sweet man who stole my heart back then had disappeared; instead I was standing with a frail figure with sullen eyes and needed to add on twenty pounds.  I tried to piece it all together but the pieces were not fitting.  Suddenly, he told me.  Then I cried inside for all the forfeited years that will never be, the ache of experience he will never have, the fragility of his life hanging precariously by a thread.  I pulled him in like I had wanted too so many times in quietness, looming in the heart of my own youth, when I was a vivacious girl who loved being in love.

When time is short, everything intensifies, including the moments you dreamt of.  I wanted to hold his hand, be there for him in the final hours.  I wanted to look into his deep green eyes that once captured a sparkle of promise.  Now they just seemed to find fear despite the smile.  And it was in that expression that I knew, knew no words needed to be said, knew I could not change it.  He scribbled his number down and asked me to call him, and then he walked back to the car and pulled away from the curb.

I was alone.  The furious wind blew my hair into my face.  I was grateful because no one would see.  Then, I thought of Luis.  He had that swagger of confidence as he walked down the halls eyeing the girls. It always got to me.  Those eyes knew me in a love shared without shame but never truly realized.  He would have gotten a kick out of that.  I asked him to teach me the merengue and he laughed loudly like I told him a joke. 

He said “My wife would not like that baby.” 

But I often imagined what our dance would look like, intertwined like ivy vines with far too much on our minds.  The Spanish spell casted upon me, made me high.  But that was some hazy far away dream in my head.  It is just how I see him, looking at me in the only way he could, exposing the truth.  Even now, he still does that, only this time I preferred not to know.  I thought about what to say but I lacked any words.  Seemed there were no more.  And as time marches forward, all I want is to go back, back to when I only saw him. 

My Luis still haunts my ever stilled dreams, even on this busy street behind my tears.  

I suppose he always will.

Flynn Taylor 

Biography of Flynn Taylor

 Flynn Taylor has been a writer of both short stories and poetry for over fifteen years.  Ever since age 5, she found joy in writing down her thoughts and feelings and sharing them with her family and friends.  She is also an artist and likes to draw interesting things.  

In her early twenties, she started to explore other means of expressing her feelings in the creative arts and took up sculpture, sun printing, and composing songs on her guitar. She looks at the world with a sense of wonderment and is inspired to capture it in words, art, and photography. She hopes that her excitement and creativity will stir others into finding their own talents and share them with others.

 Currently, she is in the process of writing a book that focuses both on the musical experience of fans and her personal biography.   Her work will also include an analysis of her favorite music and the importance of fan support to the success of her favorite rock bands.  She has asked fans to submit their own stories and appreciation for the band as there have been no other books that address fan support directly in this manner. She feels this is a new area that has never been explored and should be represented in the literary market. Through the publishing of her work, she hopes to inspire other fans to also write their own books based on their own experiences as lovers of music and to honor their favorite bands.

I'll start with some jazz by young Latino musicians.  The first is percussionist and vocalist Pedrito Martinez' "Volando Voy": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_rHVYObB18Q&list=PLSxsPaO7J4Fc_CtRLSV4aI2bUXV5GTFII

This version of "La Luna" is live: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M5-3Tl8_prs

Here the Alfredo Rodriguez Trio is performing "Ay, Mama Ines":  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8j7XjnGIo4&list=PLkADujZF4XH8neFJsVe6Qcbg5IFR2itzm

This is their "Yemaya": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FgJobCk0qe4&list=PLkADujZF4XH8neFJsVe6Qcbg5IFR2itzm&index=1

I'll finish with pianist David Virelles' "Gnosis" with vocals by Ramon Diaz: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=beG8YevmhQc

Enjoy!