This weeks’ Sunday Mix of Electronic Music and Poetry has the theme of Rhythm and Drumbeats and starts with a wonderfully rhythmic piece from an Electronic Pioneer.
I travelled over land and seas, until I came to laughter’s home.
I met a woman heavy with child,
‘you are heavy with child too,’ stated the woman.
‘Yes,’ said I. ‘Heavy with sound.’
I shared my sound, she bore a bouncing baby.
I travelled over land and seas,
Until I came to music’s home.
I met a village singer.
‘you must be the bringer of rhythm,’ stated the singer.
‘yes,’ said I. I bring you beats and music notes,
I shared my beats, the music had rhythm.
I travelled over land and seas,
Until I came to a children’s game,
the leader posing tricky riddles,
‘it talks, it sings and cheers but has no mouth.’
‘the drum, ‘ answered the children in unison.
I enjoyed my moment in the sun.
I travelled over land and seas,
Until I came before an old woman,
Wisdom marks in her beaming countenance,
She prepared a place for me next to her.
‘this is for you, oh! Messenger’ said she to me.
I travelled over land and seas,
Until I came to a ritual ceremony,
invited amidst ululation,
I showed them the drum beat,
I showed them how it brings harmony.
Beat! beat! drums!—blow! bugles! blow!
Make no parley—stop for no expostulation,
Mind not the timid—mind not the weeper or prayer,
Mind not the old man beseeching the young man,
Let not the child’s voice be heard, nor the mother’s entreaties,
Make even the trestles to shake the dead where they lie awaiting the hearses,
So strong you thump O terrible drums—so loud you bugles blow.
Beat! Beat! Drums!
some waves
a wave of now
a trombone speaking to you
a piano is trying to break a molecule
is trying to lift the stage into orbit
around the red spotlights
a shadow
the shadows of dancers
dancers they are dancing falling
out that space made for dancing
they should dance
on the tables they should
dance inside of their drinks
they should dance on the
ceiling they should dance/dance
thru universes
leaning-moving
we are traveling
where are we going
if we only knew
with this rhythm with
this banging with fire
with this all this O
my god i wonder where are
we going
sink into a room full of laughter
full of happiness full of life
those dancers
the dancers
are clapping their hands
stomping their feet
hold back them tears
all those sentimental stories
cooked uptown if you can hold it for after
we are going
away-away-away
beyond these wooden tables
beyond these red lights
beyond these rugs & paper
walls beyond way past
i mean way past them clouds
over the buildings over the
rivers over towns over cities
like on rails but faster like
a train but smoother
away past stars
bursting with drums.
2
a sudden misunderstanding
a cloud
full of grayness
a body thru a store window
a hand reaching
into the back
pocket
a scream
a piano is talking to you
thru all this
why don’t you answer it.
Latin and Soul
Victor Hernández Cruz, 1949
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