Tonight our prompt is as follows:
Posted
Make Music of Those Words—dVerse Meeting the Bar For today, I’d like you to write a poem that incorporates elements of music. It may be on any topic, including music, but what will come through is a recognition of the influence of music.
*** *** ***
six strings
ten digits
and a voice matured in oaken casks
or woven from the nectar
of a honey bee
then filtered
through smoke filled bars
is all it takes
to make the blues
that and heart break
or life
falling on you like
a storm
***
I would like to hear you put percussion in this, drummer-man. I felt the mood that only blues can convey, especially in those lonely smoke-filled bars.
Percussion would have been like shooting ducks in a barrel…this was abit more of a stretch 😉
You’re in the right pub tonight to sing the blues
…and that’s gotta be a good thing right?
For sure man, play on! I’ll get out my guitar that will give you the blues for sure
Lol…I’m sure it’s not that bad Walt 😉
This is SO gorgeously descriptive:
“a voice matured in oaken casks
or woven from the nectar
of a honey bee
then filtered
through smoke filled bars”
Just wonderful.
Thank You. Glad you enjoyed these lines. Me too.
I liked this especially the smoky bars, I played jazz even when I was young (and brass band) and we were often in smoky bars…sometimes the older men kept ashtrays under their stands and smoked inbetween playing. The jazz/swing was always better with those honey bee voices. Lovely words.
Thanks Alison. Glad it resonated with you.
I agree, the descriptions here are absolutely breathtaking! Nicely done ❤️
As always, your appreciation is well received Sanaa.
I really love how you focused on the voice here.. the matured in casks
Thanks Bjorn…whisky and blues live in the same house for me 😉
Oh yes. Life falling on you like a storm…. (nice!!)
Not when it’s happening though ;0
This is a cinch for you, Paul, with the natural rhythm of a drummer. It’s nice and bluesy with the
‘…voice matured in oaken casks
or woven from the nectar
of a honey bee
then filtered
through smoke filled bars’.
And I love the ending!
Thank You so much Kim. Much appreciated.
Rich, poetic voice…truly blue!
Thank You Lynn
I love this Paul, especially ‘a voice matured in oaken casks or woven from the nectar
of a honey bee then filtered through smoke filled bars’. It brings back many memories from those kind of bars in Amsterdam and London with great music and warm conversations.
Blues is steeped in all these things for me..music wrenched from the soul
☺🎶🎵
Paul….I can’t express how much I loved your poem…but also, how much I loved this song by Willie Dixon. This is seminal blues….what I heard almost 50 years ago when I first came South. The quiet, expressiveness of this music just took my breath away. I haven’t heard this ‘kind’ of blues in a long time….for me….this is what blues should be. “You loose your woman because you watchin’ mine”. Pivotal theme in blues. But the quietness….the anguish of the common type for most of us….this is what the blues started as…..the bells, noise and whistles came later. Thank you so much, Paul. Both went deep in my soul.
So happy to hear it struck a chord.
As a fellow blues lover, I really dug this piece. I’ve written several blues poems myself over the years, so every word resonates with me; excellent the on the prompt.
Thanks Glenn. Are you blues poems on your blog?
Blues…Robert Johnson…Skip James…Son House. Love them. And your poem too.
I’m in good company there 😉 Thanks.
I love this poem and the blues!!! Excellent job..
Thank You.
What a fantastic description of the blues singer’s voice…and the reason he sings. I had B. B. King’s voice in my head when I read your poem.
Wow..Thanks Bryan…I could have put up a whole host of Blues artists, make or female and BB would have been right up there front and centre.
….that and heart break or life falling on you like a storm….wow! You’ve nailed it here.
Apologies for the late reading — spent a long weekend cavorting with my grandchildren. Enjoyed reading this one! Excellent description of the blues sound! 🙂
Comments from you are gratefully welcomed whenever they show up lillian…and of course the grand children always gotta come first.
Recently having enjoyed some blues myself–, you hit it man—-esp. with that mature voice notation. Truly enjoyed.