It hums, it throbs, it improvises.  So many voices. Only one song.

breathe

A cardinal, the very essence of red, stabs
the hedgerow with his piercing notes;
a chickadee adds three short beats,
part of the percussion section, and a white-
throated sparrow moves the melody along…
And today, the sun, waiting for its cue,
comes out from the clouds for a short sweet
solo, then sits back down, rests between turns.
On the other side of the world, night’s black
bass fiddle rosins its bow, draws it over
the strings, resonates with the breath
of sleepers, animal, vegetable, human.
All the world breathes in, breathes out.
It hums, it throbs, it improvises.  So many voices.
Only one song.

~ Barbara Crooker, from “One Song. After Rumi” in Line Dance


Photo credit: via your eyes blaze out. Poem: Beyond the Fields We Know

26 thoughts on “It hums, it throbs, it improvises.  So many voices. Only one song.”

  1. How I love this! A keeper and one to share over and over. No music as compelling, as alluring or as magical as that composed without sheet music and intent.

    1. Mimi, you ´stole´ My word ALLURING, a word of which I feel so proud because it’s not the first one you learn in ´English as a foreign language´…. 😉

      1. Laughing 😂 – consider it returned Kiki. You’re right – it’s definitely not the first word taught in any ESL class! It’s officially yours…💗

          1. Awright, awright, awright… so you are a tad less poetic. But you have a great way with words.

  2. and beneath that same pale blue early morning sky the strong woman with freckles, curly red hair is tousled as she looks beyond in wisdom, tasting peace…

  3. Wow! You’re peripatetic! We’ll be going to Ojo Caliente, as I often do for my birthday( did we ever mention it’s free on your birthday)? We’d go even if it weren’t.😊Anyway, let’s talk tomorrow; it will be so great to catch up! Much love, Sis

    Sent from my iPhone

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