Bring your silver flute
to the crossroads
where the living haunt the dead,
Jazz Orpheus, and play a dozen riffs
on the standards
'Bringing back the Dead' and
'Making the Dogs Howl in Harmony.'
Look in every direction
before you play,
you're free to turn
in a complete circle.
The young woman with the sad eyes
standing under the willow tree
will guide you across every threshold
and she will place in your hands
cool fruits which grow sweeter
with every song you play.
Play your highest notes
in all the tempos you know,
play your softest tones
with absolute breath control.
When you are ready,
when music and courage
swell your being, descend
and play soulfully in the Underworld.
Make a pact with Persephone
to release the truest lovers
for your truest song.. Then ascend
Mount Parnassus, when the light
is brightest, join the celestial musicians,
and play a solo for the Muses's Dance of
Harmony. When Apollo arrives with his lyre
and perfect song, bow to his majesty
and promise to spread his glory over the Earth.
I must claim ignorance as to what your personal intent was for this poem. As a lover of music, I took away from this, just that. The musicians dream of being united with his notes and all the chords of music, past, present and future. Always aware that musicians exist who you will always envy and admire for their ability Looking for the one tune that will satisfy.
Marvellous expression with excellent phraseology. Wonderful imagery. Thanks for sharing.....10
A wonderful rewriting of Orpheus- Eurydice legend in a different way! How powerfully you have delineated the bewitching spell of music on the living and the dead! The dogs..... represent all the animals! 'Bringing the dead back' refers to the regain of Eurydice from the nether world by the power of music! The magic flute of Orpheus played wonders and melted the heart of Pluto king of the underworld who agreed to send back Eurydice on condition that he shouldn't look back! So here the modern Orpheus is allowed to look in all direction before he played...... implying that after playing he should only look straight! Thus with innovative modifications, you have given a modern touch to the ancient tale! Loved reading it! The woman with sad eyes must be a guide leading one through the labyrinthine paths to the underworld! Her eyes will not be sparkling as she is a close associate of the Dead!
This poem was my Friday Night Light! This two stanza delight appealed to my senses on three levels- - the telling of the story, the imagery of the words coming at me like a riff in a jazz tune. A place where music is so awesome, it can haunt the dead. And jazz standards (LOVE!) like 'Making the Dogs Howl in Harmony.' Priceless. You had me at silver flute. I played the flute and the piccolo.... Spent allot of time working on my breath control and vibrato. So after I took in the poem, I decided to look into Jazz tunes referencing Orpheus, which brought me to Dave Hinz performing from Black Orpheus on jazz flute. I shared that with my kids... who all play musical instruments. And for the final layer, I re-read the story of Orpheus and Eurydice... To get a read on your storyline. I love how you weaved all this stuff together, similar to the weave of a good jazz tune. Music is like that.
cool fruits which grow sweeter with every song you play. Very thoughtful words, beautiful...................
****I must claim ignorance as to what your personal intent was for this poem. As a lover of music, I took away from this, just that. The musicians dream of being united with his notes and all the chords of music, past, present and future. Always aware that musicians exist who you will always envy and admire for their ability Looking for the one tune that will satisfy.
This poem has not been translated into any other language yet.
I would like to translate this poem
Making the Dogs Howl in Harmony - a nice dream! to make soldiers sing! Orpheus, we wait for you! nice poem!
I apologize for being so tardy. You read my poem and left your comment on Sept.24 and I just saw it tonight Oct.1 already. Thank you for sharing your faith in Orpheus, we wait for him indeed, but pieces of his soul are scattered throughout the many poems posted at Poemhunter, and they derive from everywhere on earth. Isn't it wonderful to be part of it? !