Friday, September 2, 2016

A song from the sea


I walked through the mountains
and I was seeking my fame
and I was seeking my name

and I looked in the river
and I was seeking my face
and I was seeing my face

And I walked through the forests
and I was seeking my name
and I was seeking my fame

And the tall trees spoke to me
they were weeping my name
they were weeping my fame

and the crows flew over me
and the winds passed around me
as I was looking for my name
as I was looking for my fame

and I danced before the mast
and I danced before the storm
and the ship flew onward
as it sailed across the sea

I danced beside my coffin
I danced beside my wreath
the crows flew onward
as I sailed across the sea

but I never found my name
but I never found my fame
and the ship sailed onward
and it sailed across the sea

In late August, the Tweetspeak Poetry staff and some of the T.S. Poetry authors met at French Lick, Indiana. One evening was devoted to reading poetry and an informal concert. We heard Tania Runyan on the fiddle, Laura Lynn Brown on the flute, and Laurie Klein on the guitar. They played Irish and Scot music, and it was difficult to keep from dancing (some of us danced, and some of us watched). Two of the songs they played were “Da Full Rigged Ship” and “Da New Rigged Ship,” Scottish reels that are typically played together. The above is one of the songs (or poems) I wrote as I listened to the music.

Wailing Banshees: Da Full Rigged Ship / Da New Rigged Ship



Photograph by Linnaea Mallette via Public Domain Pictures. Used with permission.

3 comments:

L.L. Barkat said...

Love :)

Unknown said...

I just love this, Glynn.
-Bethany

Laura said...

Your poem is perfect! I feel the music in the rhythm. What a fun evening it was! You were the bravest dancer.