Would you play it for me?
The man with the expensive
Hair asked politely.
He bought guitars
But doesn't play them.
Someone, somewhere
Had carved out a
Cutaway at the neck
Ruining its value.
"It's not worth much.
Just a curio"
He offered me the guitar.
It was beautiful
Thick necked
Flat frets
Deep body
S Cutaway
Open tuners
Sounded
Perfect
Like tobacco
And Brandy
And the gravel
On the driveway
Like the
Deepest blue
On the darkest
Night
And the sound
Of Ella Fitzgerald
And Billie Holliday
Telling me about
Strange Fruit
And society's
Shame.
It sounded
The herald
For little
John Conqueroo
And Old Father Time
And Muddy Waters
And deep red
Thunderbird wine.
It sounded like
Woody, Lomax
And Leadbelly.
It sounded like
A world
Before
Color telly.
My fingers stumbled
Over boxcar doors
And Gaslight nights
And Dylan's first
Encore.
They tripped and
Tumbled
Out of backdoors
Running away
From husbands,
Gamblers and
Whores.
They sped away
Lightly
As we all know
Time flies,
They hesitated
In the '60s.
They paused
For guitar straps
Of twine.
Sweetly
Softly
Freely given:
A guitar that
Saw some to hell
And others to
Heaven.
And now it's all
Dying
Like good stories
Do,
Now it sounds
Like it is sighing
And a lighter
Shade of blue.
Now that it has
Started
Progressed
And ended,
The old guitar
Still cries
Though it has
Been
Lovingly
Mended.
Like this:
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Lovely poetry 💕
I need to dig out my guitar and learn to play. It is sooo lonely in the closet. I keep saying someday when I have the time. But the time never seems to be available.
It really isn’t hard to learn how to play a few chords! I hope you do!
❤️❤️❤️
The old guitarist in me sings.
You play?
A number of different instruments, yes — when my arthritis lets me. I do some DAW-based sequencing these days to make up for the fact that my fingers have become gnarled roots.
My favorite instrument in my collection is a Wechter 12-string acoustic (although my old Jasmine/Takamini 6-string got loved hard back in the day).
I have a homemade bass, a couple of electric guitars and a newer Roland Juno-alpha keyboard. As I said, however, I lean towards virtual instruments these days — mostly trying to make them sound like real instruments, if the style of music allows for it.
I have a guild acoustic. My arthritis looks a bit ugly but doesn’t cause me too many problems playing. I have never played a 12 string. I’ll link you to some of my songs and bore you at some point. Ild like to hear what you are up to musically.
Here’s a mixed bag of old and new can be found here. Some snippets, some experiments, some “finished” pieces. All walks of genres, from folk to punk to early goth/post-punk to electronica/experimental.
https://soundcloud.com/michael_raven
It sounds better if you’re REALLY bored.
I used to tell people when we performed that we sounded better when I was drunk (sober now), and spectacular when THEY were drunk.
😁 I am on the wagon, but will raise a joint to you later and listen. Thank you for sharing!
https://soundcloud.com/detroit-richards-539793049 Here is my spoken word stuff…
Love the sense of rhythm you give the pieces I’ve listened too. Fantastic! I’d like to maybe share a piece on my own site, if you don’t mind me doing so.
I’m trying to place your voice — it has a flavor the seems familiar in a way I can’t quite place.
Thanks for sharing. I’ll give them all a listen when I’m not supposed to be *ahem* working. 😉
Yes, that would be great. Thank you so much Michael. I have been doing more spoken word than music recently. The accent is all over the place, it has been ruined by decades of moving around. It’s sounding more Californian recently I think, I can’t even hear it anymore! Im looking forwards to turning up the speakers and listening to your music later on too.
https://soundcloud.com/b-r-361900960/noisec?si=5224d3cd1f5640d88d08248451d12856&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing
Velvet Underground/Lou Reed inspired? Love it.
I love Lou. I want to be Lou. I am nowhere near the musician that I am the spoken word artist, I know, but I do love playing.
You’re close enough that I could pick up the influence, so I’d consider that a win. <3
A hugely flattering win! I just have to work on the off beat cool and that sardonic sneer…Thank you
https://soundcloud.com/b-r-361900960 More musical stuff…
Very cool!