A Sorrowful Moment Resonates....Over 25 Years Later

Georgia poet H. Holt reminds us of a sorrowful event from 1991, the accidental death of Eric Clapton's young son.  I still remember where I was when I first heard Clapton's tribute to his son, "Tears in Heaven."

“Conor Clapton”

Success is heavy—

the spotlight, the smiling,

the confession of lies

that say “I’m fine”

just so the cameras

will stop flashing

and reporters will stop

yap, yap, yapping,

but you’re not fine,

and Conor’s death

is heavier, still, isn’t it?

heavier than cocaine,

than any true vocal hue

from bell-bottom blues

brought to the masses,

to ease them into your lie

you wrapped a belt

around your aching soul,

and made an extra notch

to keep it tight, in check.

letting the years slip by

beyond the 53^rd floor

where his final laugh sang,

absent your reception

he is the only music

you couldn’t master,

to bring to your guitar

and play again,

so you weep instead,

imagining his voice

speaking your name

above the clouds,

where no tears fall

--

H. Holt has been published by various magazines and blogs, including The Blue Mountain Review, Eunoia Review, Yellow Chair Review, Hobo Camp Review, and Ishaan Literary Review, among others. She was published in "Stone, River, Sky: An Anthology of Georgia Poems," alongside former president Jimmy Carter. Holt serves as the managing editor for Walking Is Still Honest Press. She is a full-time student and a full-time member of The Southern Collective Experience with dreams of writing the next great American novel.

If you would like to listen to "Tears in Heaven," here is a link to that song: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JxPj3GAYYZ0

I'm going to include some links to Eric Clapton's instrumentals as well:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fmyT1F3RBzY

This isn't an instrumental, but I thought I'd include it anyway:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZEx9O9x8Jnw

This instrumental is acoustic.  I'm not sure which song it is: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-V1gGXyPSAQ

I'll finish with Clapton's blues guitar.  B.B. King is on stage with him.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=71bo0JaHqrQ

OK, this is the encore--Clapton and B.B. King's version of John Hiatt's "Riding with the King":  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJK78Y3zoQk