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The Poet of Rock & Roll

“Roll over Beethoven!” How I loved this line. What a visual for a kid who loved both classical and pop music. The one and only “Chuck Berry, the singer-songwriter and guitarist who was one of the architects of rock ‘n’ roll” passed away yesterday at the age of 90. His style and energy will never be forgotten as he held concerts well into his eighties. The poet of Rock & Roll inspired such artists as the Beatles, The Beach Boys and so many others.

I can imagine the scene today in heaven as he joins some of the great legends we have lost lately like Leonard Cohen, Prince and of course Beethoven himself. Rest in peace Mr. Berry.

Chuck Berry

 

 

 

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what is a poem?

 

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A poem is defined as expressive language. It is an art form that allows for free verse. Poems are musical and rhythmic and uses sounds and imagery to convey meaning. Poems use metaphors and similes and they can create a very intimate conversation between the poet and the reader.

 

The following is a poem about poems.

 

Poems are words a poet collects

 

to convey messages hard to forget

 

or to tell a truth so there are no regrets.

 

 

 

Poems are stored in the heart and soul

 

of poets waiting for their muses to call

 

Poems flow like rivers through the mind

 

and words can be sweet and sometimes unkind

 

 

 

And if there is a cause

 

that needs to be fought

 

A poem can manage

 

and never be caught

 

without a deep thought

 

to stimulate thinking

 

elevate the spirit,

 

and comfort the soul.

 

 

 

A poem is created with lots of care

 

A poet knows

 

no coincidence there

 

the words embrace

 

emotions and fears

 

to make us so happy

 

we can burst into tears

 

 

 

What is a poem?

 

you tell me.

 

for me it’s all that I see

 

smell, hear, taste

 

and touch

 

and everything life offers me

 

that I love so much.

 

 

 

By Melba Christie (c) 2013

 

 

 

 

 

POETRY SOCIETY POSTCARD
POETRY SOCIETY POSTCARD (Photo credit: summonedbyfells)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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A poem inspired by inspirational titles of poems that inspired my life

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I have continued to ponder about what inspires me and what inspires my writing. Sometimes what inspires me is a simple line in a poem or narrative. Sometimes it’s the title of a poem. Some poems stay with us forever. You may have read them just at the most proper moment in your life. Maybe a teacher read it in a way you would never forget it. The poem that follows is a poem inspired by inspirational titles. (At least to me they were inspirational.)  There are hundreds of others I can cite. The titles have been italicized. You may recognize some of the poets. Do not forget I love your comments. Please let me know what inspires you to write.

It’s all I have to bring today

can you tell what it is?

it’s …

The Look 

you say,

well by the way you’re right.

I could not stay away

so I took

The Road Not Taken

by the others for

fear of rejection.

Our love is unique

Now and Forever

in Dreams

and in all the hours of the day

The Layers

of moments spent

making it work

Our love, my love is here to stay.

When I Consider Everything that Grows

I know

that nothing is impossible

because …

there are always Miracles

to count on

Oh Me! Oh My!

Life is good!

Source: Poets.org

Poets Cited: Shakespeare, Whitman, Dickinson, Hughes, Frost, Teasdale, and Kunitz. 

I would love to hear from you about what inspires you. 

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Firm Persuasion

April is National Poetry Month. I will quote from the poets I love and whose verses have guided me through my own journey as a poet. Read a poem to someone you love.

“Does a firm persuasion that a thing is so, make it so? He replied, ‘All poets believe that it does. And in ages of imagination, this firm persuasion removed mountains; But many are not capable of a firm persuasion of anything.” – From the Marriage of Heaven and Hell by William Blake

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moments

 

I love this word. It implies an instant in time that may never repeat itself. Measurable only to the extent that it is memorable or special. Moments become timeless. Then there is the Aha! moment. I have had a few of those    change my life. Someone once said that there is no happiness only moments of happiness. Precious moments could be classified as moments of happiness. But some moments can be appraised as awkward. Can someone’s awkward moment be another’s precious moment? Van Goethe said, “every second is of infinite value.” So we may want to seize the moment to make sure that we stay in the present as much as possible. I want to make sure that the moments I may be able to produce for others are touching moments and become cherished by the receiver. I just wrote a poem about a poet who tries to describe the moments in his life that count. Here it is. Please take a moment and reply or comment.

 

The Poet in the Moment

The poet waited for a moment because it was all he could spare at the time.

He waited for the muse who had promised to visit him everyday to inspire a poem.

In the meantime, moments paraded in his head, This is what he saw:

A moment of glory when he won the race,

The moment he kissed his sweetheart for the first time,

The moment he discovered himself,

The moment faith was restored in his heart.

The proud moment his parents felt when he graduated from college.

The one moment he thought he had lost his mind.

The moment he prayed and asked God to save his mom.

The moment his first son was born.

The moment he remembered what he had forgotten.

Then, he looked up to the sky and saw a falling star

and thought to himself there goes my poem.

– Melba Christie

 

 

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The poet’s work defined by other poet’s works

“A poet‘s work is to point at frauds”

and to to take “a late walk”

to observe the sunset.

A poet’s work is

“A thing of beauty”

but can be “A song of despair”

when “A dog has died.”

A poet’s work can be

“A hand mirror”

so you can see the truth

face to face.

A Poet’s work is “Acceptance”

that sometimes there is not much that a poet

can do about abolishing hate and breeding peace.

A poet’s work

is a “Brave and Startling truth”

and or a “Lesson in Vengeance”

or an “Enigma”

or a simple “letter to an aunt”

to ease her pain.

A Poet’s work

eloquently describes a “summer’s dream”

or a “conversation”

about  “Faith being a fine invention”

But for me a Poet’s work is to

“Carpe Diem” and speak from the heart

every minute of the day.

     Melba Christie

Do you know all the poets whose works were cited in my poem? I will post all names in my next post.

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