Improvisational Harmonies - Sneak Peek #3

The Romantic's Dream:

The Rose and a Poet's Genesis

For my money, the poignant yearning for love in Bette Midler's voice when she sings “The Rose” is one of the most powerful musical moments in '70s movies. It serves as a counterpoint to the tragic story of the rock star she plays in the film, loosely based on the life of Janis Joplin.

It is a powerful statement of how a larger-than-life figure like a rock star, can feel so isolated and alone, in the middle of their superstardom. As a young singer, of course I added the song to my repertoire as a teenager, and adopted its emotional message as my own. As I grew older, the song's message became a mantra, even as I abandoned the performing arts in the name of subsistence.

It came as no surprise to me that the song eventually inspired my poetry, once I began writing more and more. What did come as a surprise was the desire to attempt writing a new verse for this ballad – having the temerity to put my writing alongside the heart-rending simplicity of Amanda McBroom's original song.

It is up to you to judge how well I did.

Improvisational Harmonies - Sneak Preview #2 - "Danzig Tryptych"

I:

Mothers,

keep your daughters from me,

for I will lie to them,

I will seduce them

with promises of pleasure

and romance,

and when I'm done with them,

when their innocence is gone,

and I'm bored with them,

I'll leave them behind

without a second thought.

II:

Mothers,

guide your sons away,

lest my words they heed,

and my lessons they obey,

to abandon conscience and love

for cruelty and lust,

and should they follow me,

they will be driven forth to ravage,

or to bleed out, savaged

by my cruel fangs.

III:

Mothers,

most of all, stay away from me,

for I will teach you the lessons

of madness and passionate extremity,

driving you to forget everything

as I make you feel alive again,

only to leave you for another

plaything, returning

when I grow tired of her,

to twist you even further.

Inspired by “Mother” by Danzig

(c) Tortured Cyclone 2015, 2016

Sneak Preview - Foreword of "Improvisational Harmonies"

Recently, in the writing community that I have been a part of the last three years, online, there has been a lot of controversy related to plagiarism. There have been claims of not only pure theft of words, but also the theft of less-quantifiable concepts.

Poetic theme. Phraseology. Rhythm. Core poetic image.

Mind you, the online world is rife with writing based off of, or inspired by, another's ideas. The poetic community I am a part of uses writing prompts to inspire many writers to stretch themselves. Oftentimes, those prompts are used verbatim by the participants of the prompt. Poets get involved in wordplay of varying levels of intimacy, which usually builds upon the writing of someone else in a Poem-trail.

This cross-pollination of ideas, the common font of inspiration, leads to a lot of writing that is very similar. Much of that writing could be interpreted as plagiarism, if the broadest definition of the term is applied.

And that says nothing of outside influences...

As a writer, I prefer to write with music playing, as it stirs my creativity, and has also served as a wellspring of inspiration to me. Many of my poems have a piece of music as a jumping-off point.

So, I decided to bring together several of my poems into this collection. Inspired by music. In homage to that music.

Not plagiarism. Improvisational harmonies.

Losing My Religion Sneak Preview #2 - "Devotional"

This piece was inspired by the Depeche Mode song, "Surrender"

Devotional

An infidel, kneeling in prayer,

to the only deity he's sure is there,

doomed to be a burnt offering

to passion's goddess,

a sacrifice in your holy bed,

prepared to be broken,

my world reshaped in your hallowed name,

wholly surrendered to your flame.

Burn me,

consume me,

with tenderness

subsume me,

grant release through ecstasy's grace,

and stamp your visage in God's place,

through the faithless door then send me,

to a cruel world bent to end me,

my fate writ like a lottery token.

My heart,

my soul,

they are your tokens

of my devotion.

Gotye's Prophecy

As time goes on,
it is a confusing paradox
of relief and sorrow
that all I've become
is somebody
that you used to know.

October 10: Drunkard's Walk

The skirling pipes
enfold me in song,
leading me in a caper,
a hornpipe without direction.
First one way,
then doubling back,
heeding the notes
as they swirl in
my feverish mind,
guiding my steps
in some mad dance
composed by
the Devil himself.
Faster, slower, from
side to side, slide-step,
a marionette with insanity
holding the reins.
Throwing myself blindly
into the cacophonous storm
that buffets me,
trusting that the song
will bear me safely,
collapsing, spent, boneless,
with the last, piercing note.