Posted by: janetleigh | April 3, 2008

Poetinalia

I had a specific reason for writing the Haiku 4 U below. The other night I fell into a reverie contemplative mood while sitting at my computer looking at a blank posting box such as the one I’m writing in presently. I don’t even know what these forms are formally called. So, I’m sitting here the other night, staring into this white, blank box thinking about what I was going to post to this blog. Usually I have music playing in the background. For some reason I started thinking about the CD I was listening to – Van Morrison’s Hymns To The Silence – track 3 – Hymns To The Silence. Ha! It came to me that this particular song is my favorite of Morrison’s and I don’t know why. Is it the words? The music itself? The piano being played throughout? The timbre of his voice? I just don’t know for sure. I’ve been listening to Morrison’s music for over 20 years.. He’s my favorite recording artist, singer/songwriter. I mean, I can still cry while listening to some of his songs. Just depends on my mood. I believe Morrison is one of a number of musical geniuses of the century. My mind wandered over the last 2+ decades to times and places where I associate his music with events. I remember, at the one and only live concert I went to Morrison, how very surprised I was to see that Morrison barely moved on stage while singing; he seemed to stand stock still and this huge voice would come out of his barrel-chest and all the energy inside him made it out through his mouth while his face turned red from exertion. I don’t think I could sing his songs standing still. LOL.

I’m not obssessed with Morrison or anything like that; it’s just that we must be on the same wavelength or something. I told my husband the other night that I wanted Morrison’s music playing while I was on my deathbed to ease my way over to the other side. And now that I think of it, perhaps at my funeral itself. I don’t think my husband appreciated me talking about my death, probably because of everything we’ve been through lately. But, I’m such a realist about these things. Thank God he’s also a Morrison fan! I might get my wishes carried out. LOL.

The quasi-haiku below is the result of my thinking about Morrison’s music and the influence its had on me over half my life (wayyyyy over half ;> ). The words just flew out of my mind and onto the page. It’s probably also why the last line is limiting, as MysticWino suggested. heh heh

Anyway, it got me wondering if other people experience the same thing; this latching on to one artist. A singer one goes to every time for comfort, for raising the spirits, for joyful noise, for pity parties, the angst bellow; the singer that satisfies every mood and intellectual yearning. I’d love to hear from anyone who comes under a similar spell.

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Responses

  1. [...] Admin wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerptI had a specific reason for writing the Haiku 4 U below. The other night I fell into a reverie contemplative mood while sitting at my computer looking at a blank posting box such as the one I’m writing in presently. I don’t even know what these forms are formally called. So, I’m sitting here the other night, staring into this white, blank box thinking about what I was going to post to this blog. Usually I have music playing in the background. For some reason I started thinking about the CD I was listening to – Van Morrison’s Hymns To The Silence – track 3 – Hymns To The Silence. Ha! It came to me that this particular song is my favorite of Morrison’s and I don’t know why. Is it the words? The music itself? The […] [...]

  2. I love VM too, though not as much as you GRIN. I want something from when I was young and wild and happy at my funeral, Stone Roses probably.

    Thank you for stopping in and Welcome to Peistmeister! Well, now, I know I really like you, as well as your poems, johemmant..:) Any fan of Van is a friend of mine. But now I have to go check out Stone Roses because I’m not familiar with this group. Did I tell you how much I enjoy reading your poems..?!

  3. HA! LOL. That was precisely the limitation . . . First thing I thought of with “Van” was Van Morrison. That’s too cool. I did not say, and did not intend to imply that ‘limited’ was a ‘bad’ thing; just an observation of how it worked on me. Knowing now that it worked exactly the way you meant it to, I’m about a hundred times more impressed! Van Morrison redeemed the entire month of October for me actually (long story).
    Skinner/fringemonkey/wino

    Wow, ‘great minds’ think alike and all that jazz, Skinner! BTW, I was just joshing you about the “limiting” factor of my haiku and I trust you will straight-out tell me if something is “bad” about my writing, right? And – now I’m realllllllly curious about how Van the Man redeemed the entire month of October for you, David..:) Oh, and I hope I can impress you again in the future. I like ‘impress’.. ;>

  4. Hi. I found your blog through Ario’s blog. My favorite Van Morrison song is Moon Dance. I have it on my favorite playlist, along with Jefferson Starship’s Miracles, and Seals and Croft’s Summer Breeze. I’ve always been held spellbound by music, and would be hard pressed to pick one musician. I guess lately I’d have to say Robin Trower is the one I find myself listening to alot. I liked your Haiku 4 U.

    Hello, Blue Rose and Welcome to Peistmeister! Any friend of Ario’s is a friend of mine. I just love Moon Dance, too. And Miracles and Summer Breeze are 2 other songs I really like as well. But you blow me away by mentioning Robin Trower! He’s fantastic. But he’s a product of the 60’s having gained fame in Procol Harem! And if one liked Hendrix, one really likes Robin Trower. Either you’re a flower child or Trower has had a re-emergence into the music scene by the younger crowd..?!

    And thanks for your kind comment about my haiku. I’m glad you enjoyed it..:)

  5. now I’m realllllllly curious about how Van the Man redeemed the entire month of October for you, David..:)

    My step-brother was born 10/16 the year before me. That made October rather loathesome in the first place, beginning when I was 3.25 years old. He had a nasty habit of trying to kill me. And then later October was harvest and asthsma hell. Along came Van with Moondance, and suddenly October opened into a heaven full of stary possibilities “under October skies”.
    Now I’m simply leary of 10/16 as it keeps coming up with lousy events: my friend Sean committed suicide-by-cop on that day in 1993 and other friends and family have had numerous tragedies in the middle of October. Moondance is sometimes the only cure to the blues come 10/16. It’s just a couple days anymore that make me skittish, no longer an entire month of the year.

    Whoa! Now I understand what you meant, David. Ouch. Holy cow! I dubbed by younger sister The Bad Seed.. ;> Fellow hayfever sufferer here. You have my sympathies. Yay! Van to the rescue! Groan. Very sorry to hear about your friend, Sean. Very sad, indeed. Thank Van for Moondance! Yay! Conclusion: Need to build a ramp over October for David… :)

  6. I remember Van Morrison but have never bought any of his stuff. Your mention spurs me to check him out once again. Amazon here I come!

    I tend to latch onto an artist, be it musically or in writing , if one of their efforts moves me. Thus a lot of Atwood after I discovered “Blind Assassin” and a lot of Cowboy Junkies after a blogger mentioned that they do a fine cover of the Lou Reed song “Sweet Jane”. I am seldom disappointed.
    Of course the songs which we heard while or lives were rocked by events or places will never be lost (Led Zep’s “Whole Lotta Love” echoing off of the rock cliffs in New Mexico at the hot springs comes to mind); probably an association thing.
    You have a nice blog, I mean present tense! Thanks for visiting mine, I enjoyed your comments and memories.

    Howdy, goatman, and thank you for stopping by here and mentioning some names I haven’t heard of that I’ll probably be checking out soon. Well, I like Lou Reed, too; he did a bang-up job with Walk on the Wild Side dah-doo-dah-doo! Have you seen Reed’s official website? I’m there now listening to Walk on the Wild Side (1983) Lou Reed Official Website. It’s an awesome site and the audio is excellent! Hope you check it out. The site opens with Gravity playing in the background. Neat.

  7. Hello, thanks for your supportive encouragements on my blog..they dont go unnoticed nor un appreciated..I just dont seem to get poems at he same rate as other people, its mostly prose these days when I am not flooded out with other stuff.
    Its Tome waits Joni Mitchell and Nick cave that do it for me lyrically..
    Tom is amazing he takes me on so many raucous journeys, deep deep into the forest and though alleys and down shining wet just rained on streets. And characters I meet there…he is such a great story teller even though the settings tend to be seedy except when he sings about nature…then all the world is green..
    hmm think I will just have to post him on my blog now instead of trying to write ~lol~ thank you again may love and toffee abound in your life.. keep em flowing :)

    Hi, Mermaid! I understand about the sporadic creative processes..:) Not to worry. I enjoy your writing and love stopping by. Listen, Tom Waits and Joni Mitchell are great recording artists. I listen to both when I’m not Vanning, heh heh. Don’t know much about Nick Cave so now you got my curiosity piqued. Will have to check him out. Thanks for your good wishes, too, and backatcha, my friend…:)

  8. thank you for introducing me to Morrison.

    I have always been under the Uriah Heep spell and Dio was another phenomenon I could nto quite get past… not to metnion greg lake , bowie …..oh yes kristofferson ….nine inch nails …there are so many …and all of them signposts to that superior silence we can only find in death.

    and janet thank you for everything my friend

    love,
    shakir

    I’m quite pleased to be able to introduce you (and anyone else for that matter) to Van Morrison’s music. I personally resonate with his work for some reason and I can listen to him every hour of the day and not get tired of him. He can be so uplifting – Bright Side of the Road is one of my favorite singles, but it’s the double CD Hymns to the Silence that speaks directly to my soul. I truly hope you explore his works because you share some of the same qualities as Van.

    I’m familiar with Bowie and Kristofferson, but not the others, Shakir, so I’m going to have to check them out. So good to have you stop by.. don’t be away too long ;>

    Be well, my dear friend..:)

  9. I’m a big fan of Van Morrisson too. I really like his Hymns To The Silence. There is something really soothing about his music.

    Oh, that is most excellent, Allen. Especially that you like Hymns to the Silence. Do you mean the double CD in that name or the single itself? And yes, I agree that his voice is soothing, has a lot to do with the timbre of his voice. I’d be happy to listen to just his music the rest of my life. :)


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