World Poetry Day and a Poem about Music

Today is World Poetry Day my friends!  It is a day to pull out your favorite poetry book, pay tribute to your favorite poets, read a poem to your children, your family or your Love!  It's a day to promote the writing and teaching of poetry and to appreciate the local poets in your own community.  I've been writing poetry since I was an angst ridden teenager in the 1980's.  I really felt so alone and really depressed and it was just a way for me to get the fear and helplessness out of my head and onto a page.  I never really showed anyone those writings but I do visit them sometimes and realize how far I have come.  Thank goodness for poetry!  Today I'm going to share a light hearted piece I wrote about people that writes songs.  I am very jealous of songwriters because I love music and writing!  I got a guitar a few years back for my birthday and I've tried to learn how to play that thing but I just don't make the time for it really.  I know so many talented songwriter/singers and so I        wrote this as a tribute to them and I think it's fitting today because, hey....a song is really just a poem put to music, right?!

I sat with my guitar

and tried to connect

strings and things

sound and voice

passion with words
love and regret

i felt a song
reached for the notes
powered an idea
pushed it away
watched it return
and welcomed it home
on the scribbled page

I cleaned the wood
banged the strings
transformed the air
clenched my teeth
and swallowed the chord

I made music

I listened to my heart
stretched my hand
climbed a scale
descended from the high
left a note behind
and apologized
for the loss

I turned the keys
tuned myself out
memorized the sound
followed a rhythm
and ran away
with the beat

I strummed a C
looked around
found another verse
put the pencil down
and sat alone
playing with my guitar