Tuesday, September 26, 2006

A Different Beat

The phone started early today.
A man that called drunk yesterday—
looking for work,
called back this morning, seven a.m.,
at least he remembered he needed a job.
A couple walked the outline of the cul-de-sac,
pounding a heart-percussion thump-thump
to the melody of an exuberant feathered flutist.
The phone rang again, and again, unanswered;
I listened to the soloist sing to heaven, or a lover,
until the drumbeat, slowly, faded away.

16 comments:

Margie said...

Don't you just hate those seven a.m
phone calls?
Wonderful poem Pat!
love it!

MB said...

Rough way to start the day. Hope that drum track shifts for the rest of the day! You've got me wondering who the flutist was?

gulnaz said...

the simplicity of a morning scene so beautifully captured along with the abstract....really wonderful!

gautami tripathy said...

"pounding a heart-percussion thump-thump
to the melody of an exuberant feathered flutist."

Loved those two lines.

gautami tripathy said...

Btw, I have linked your blog to mine.

polona said...

a different beat indeed!
love "heart-percussion thump-thump
to the melody of an exuberant feathered flutist"
great write as always, pat!

Natalia L. Rudychev said...

Great write! I love the musical phrases that express multiplicity of moods and emotions!

J. Andrew Lockhart said...

Very interesting and well worth of reading it! :)

Masago said...

Pat, I love reading your twisted, wacky tales!

Russell Ragsdale said...

This is different, not just a wonderful fractured fairytale but a little je ne sais quoi into the bargain. Just great Pat!

shikha said...

over from eating poetry...

Liked the "not saying much" tone to say something....

steve said...

somehow i get an image of jethro tull in feathers - and then papageno. also reminds me of the song 'Rings' (ring, ring telephone ring...)

classic: "at least he remembered he needed a job"

Amalendu said...

its a great mix of samba, rock, jhap tal (Indian Classical) and a few more...
Interesting beat Pat.. and a lovely poetry...

Don Iannone, D.Div., Ph.D. said...

Nice one. At least you are in demand...

Pat Paulk said...

Yes i do!! Thank you Margie!!

MB, if it wasn't so sad, it would've been comical. Ended up being a lovely day. Just one of my many feathered friends I keep well fed around here.

Gulnaz, thank you for coming by and commenting!! Please, come back!!

Gautami, thank you!! And, I have linked to you!!

Polona, as always, your presence is greatly appreciated!!

Natalia, music does it so well. Thank you!!

Andrew, thank you for taking the time!! That is a real premium for you these days, I imagine.

Vaughn, one could extrapolate from that, that you might think I have a twisted mind. Hum... You might be right!!!

Russell, I don't know what, but, thank you!!

Shikha, thank you for coming by. Hope you'll come back!!

Steve, that produces an image!! Something similar to Alice Cooper. Scary!! Thank you!!

Thank you Amalendu for continueing to come by!!

Don, by drunks and birds. I can relate to both!!

Sue hardy-Dawson said...

Oh how I recognise this, very clever poem