Poetry about or reminding you of Zep

[ScarletMacaw]

I've written something for Jimmy Page that I don't think I'm going to post here, but I found this poem by W.H. Auden that reminded me of Zeppelin and Page in particular...in fact the first time I read it I wondered if it might have inspired the album title "Presence," but later read a more mundane explanation:

THE COMPOSER

by W.H. Auden

All the others translate: the painter sketches

A visible world to love or reject;

Rummaging into his living, the poet fetches

The images out that hurt and connect,

From Life to Art by painstaking adaption,

Relying on us to cover the rift;

Only your notes are pure contraption,

Only your song is an absolute gift.

Pour out your presence, a delight cascading

The falls of the knee and the weirs of the spine,

Our climate of silence and doubt invading;

You alone, alone, imaginary song,

Are unable to say an existence is wrong,

And pour out your forgiveness like a wine.

[redirtuo]

On silver necklaces they strung

The flowering stars, on crowns they hung

The dragon-fire, in twisted wire

They meshed the light of moon and sun.

Far over the misty mountains cold

To dungeons deep and caverns old

We must away, ere break of day

To claim our long-forgotten gold.

:-)

[ScarletMacaw]

Thanks for posting the Tolkien poem, redirtuo!

[lightandshade]

THE COMPOSER

by W.H. Auden

Been a while since I've read that one from Auden, it's lovely.

"Art" by Herman Melville

In placid hours well-pleased we dream

Of many a brave unbodied scheme.

But form to lend, pulsed life create,

What unlike things must meet and mate:

A flame to melt—a wind to freeze;

Sad patience—joyous energies;

Humility—yet pride and scorn;

Instinct and study; love and hate;

Audacity—reverence. These must mate,

And fuse with Jacob’s mystic heart,

To wrestle with the angel—Art.

Edited February 25, 2013 by lightandshade

[ScarletMacaw]

I had to read that Melville poem a couple of time before I realized how much it does reflect Zep! thanks for posting...I also didn't even realize Melville wrote poetry...

I guess I will have to break the ice in posting original poetry...so I'm going to post the thing I wrote for Jimmy Page, although actually it is not an original work but a rewrite of the 23rd Psalm...I'm going to post the original from the Bible then my re-write. (And yes, I did change my profile pic, now that you all know what I look like :

The Bible's version:

"The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.

He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me

beside the still waters.

He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies;

thou anointest my head with oil;

my cup runneth over.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life;

and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

Here's my version for Page:

The songmaker is my shepherd, I shall not despair.

His melodies make me lie down in green meadows;

His chords lead me by still waters.

He restores my soul, and leads me in the path of harmony.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of silence,

I will not fear loneliness, for you are with me, your blues guitar

responds to me, your notes like raindrops wash away tears.

You prepared a table for me in the high school cafeteria.

You quickened my pulse, my ecstasy was with you.

Surely comfort and joy will follow me all the days of my life,

And I will dwell in the Houses of the Holy, for evermore.

Edited February 26, 2013 by ScarletMacaw

[weslgarlic]

GARY MOORE
"Led Clones"

The time has come to talk about tomorrow.
You should be more careful what you borrow.
I heard them on the radio.
I saw them on the video.
I don't think I can take much more.

Led clones
Led clones

You've stolen from the houses of the holy.
You've rolled into the kingdom of the sane.
I heard you on the radio.
I saw those crummy videos.
I don't think I can take no more.

Led clones
Led clones.

Got to get it on,
From the still of the night.
But you're gettin' it wrong,
You know it ain't right.

Ooh, yeah.
Ooh, yeah.

I saw them on the radio.
I heard them on the videos.
I don't think I can take much more.

Led clones.
Led clones.
Led clones.
Led clones.

Led clones.
Led clones.
Led clones.
Led clones.
Led clones.
Led clones.
Led clones.
Led clones.
Led clones.
Led clones.
Led clones.
Led clones.

Edited March 1, 2013 by weslgarlic

[ScarletMacaw]

After the events in Boston, I was thinking more about music as a comfort, and I wrote this sonnet:

From blood-soaked ground to pavement’s shattered glass,
from smoke-filled air to sirens’ screaming call,
I ask myself how can the darkness pass--
how can we rise above our earthly pall?
I seek again the crystal notes sublime,
and chords that ring and echo through my bones--
melodic journey to a sunlit clime
of rolling hills and evening’s purple tones.
From misty peaks to shoreline’s ocean breeze
to incense-perfumed temples candle-lit,
where secrets told by those who hold the keys
and tales that charm me with their rhyme and wit
weave spells that lift me from this killing floor.
I climb the Stairway guided by the Four.

I also posted this on the poetry site I belong to, where I have a different alias, in case (a chance of .001 percent) you've been there and have seen it before...

[lightandshade]

This is lovely, Scarlet - a really powerful testament to the transformative powers of great music. I was just thinking about how LZ is one of the few bands I can listen to that will accommodate every mood.