Saturday, March 22, 2008

Soul Food.....

Friday couldn't have come quick enough, the clocks, the calendar, working in tandem, holding the promised day hostage at the end of their broken pendulum. "Not yet" the nights whispered to me. "Not today" the morning crooned.....And then she was here. Friday's are for dancin'......

And I couldn't soak it up fast enough, breathe it in deep enough, the music, the salty smell of strangers and friends elbow to elbow....the dark courtliness of the walls, smoke stained and autographed, another day older. My barstool casually parked on her tip toes, waiting....a yellow yard dog behind the picket fence.....

Finally, the clock slowing, counted out in rhythmatic noise, in the wave of arms, legs, hips.....the sandy sound of softshoes on the dancefloor, the clinkity tink of bottles on the bartop, silverware clanking in a tincan diner....

He drums.
Bangs the heart.
Slams
the song into
sign language,
lost language,
close~your~eyes language.

He growls.
Spits the words out,
drags them through the house,
steak bones for a stud,
a rabid rat,
a hungry cat....
He drums.....
And in the shadows,
the secrets they'll never tell,
he's
the
fix....
the accidental addiction...
the story
with the
hand~me~down ending....

He drums....
And I'm listening....

18 comments:

eric1313 said...

"He drums.
Bangs the heart.
Slams
the song into
sign language,
lost language,
close~your~eyes language."

Your lines weave in and out of my thoughts. I wondered what you were up to, and look at that.

What a beautifull collection of thoughts. I love this poem. This is you at your most shining best.

"he's
the
fix....
the accidental addiction...
the story
with the
hand~me~down ending....

He drums....
And I'm listening...."

And you were so listening. I'm glad you ran with this one. It's so gorgeous. It has curves...

Maithri said...

Singleton,

WOW! this is incredible!!

I love it!

So passionate, so rhythmic...

You need to
publish this

for the listenin world...

Rock on my friend,

Love, M

~Babs said...

The magic of Alice Singleton,,,
(smile),,,,,doesn't get any better!

and I'm lovin that yellow yard dog bar stool!

i beati said...

drumming huh into your heart?

Me said...

Bless my cotton socks but I am so very confused.

singleton said...

Eric...Thank you friend, I just fell into Friday night, for all it was worth, drank it up....listened...
And sometimes,
the most powerful gifts are found
in what was there all along....
And so it goes...
on an otherwise "every" Friday night,
it became the "first" Friday
night...

Maithri...
The music could have moved the world I think,
little gifts were tucked
in between the
show~lines,
five minutes of blues
so etheral and
real they had color, skin,
stories of their own....

And I danced to Stormy Monday as
if there wasn't another soul in the room,
as if I were in my own kitchen,
eyes closed
with only the words
stringing me on,
picking me up,
lifting me back....

Babs....When she's ten feet tall! :)

Orhan....Oh don't worry. I was just writing a love letter to Friday night. You know, how I get carried away sometimes!

Peace~love my Friends
It drums.....

skinnylittleblonde said...

Lol @ 'Bless my cotton socks' comment. Too cute! Drums...setting the tempo for everyone else, the heart beat of the band. Godspeed & good health...may it rock the band, as the band has rocked you... PALS

SpongyBones said...

WOW! Great job. Always listening to the drum. Always!

eric1313 said...

Yes it's always there, and it always will be there, silent, pulsing and filled with life waiting to be released into the hot Florida night.

Clink! ya back, Sing.

Let the songs flow from the heart.

Unknown said...

"sandy sound of softshoes"

Nice alliteration there, Singleton!

Gill said...

Oh my.
A drummer.
You are in trouble girl.

Drummers are a breed of their own.
Good luck with that one...hang on it'll be a bumpy ride!!! LOL
xoxo

singleton said...

Ibeati....The music has always grabbed my heart....and the drumbeat....the heartbeat....the sound of the animal breathing....:)

Skinny... Oh, I so hope, healing is everywhere, and your hopes, mine, the circles are a prayer mended.....ILYSVVM

Eric...Friday nights are free....and Friday nights are for dancin'.....And the songs play on....Clink!

electric....Say it over and over again and that's the exact......sound! Peace, my friend!

Gillian.....Nah, I'm not in trouble girl! I'm just listenin' to the preacher man talkin'....And writin' love letters to the music! :) It's all good, friend!

Peace~love friends
It's Monday
Turn the music up in traffic,
let it spill out the windows....

Feel the love....

singleton said...

Spongy....I have a feelin' if we passed in morning traffic....we'd both be bangin' on the dashboards....
Airdrums.....
Keyboards...
Let it roll!
Peace~love my friend!

justacoolcat said...

Fridays are for music!

Momentary Madness said...

Ive got a blue motel room
With a blue bedspread
Ive got the blues inside and outside my head
Will you still love me
When I call you up when I get back to town
I know that youve got all those pretty boys coming on
Banging on your BOOM-BOOM PACHYDERM
you tell those boys that you've got german measles
Honey, tell them you've got germs

singleton said...

suchacoolcat.....Playin' your tunes right now!

Paddy.....Oh I love it when I see your name, hear the words..... lost lyrics reincarnated at just the right moment.....
Blues, baby.....
sing on.....

Peace~love my friends,
before we know it,
it'll be Friday again.....

Ultra Toast Mosha God said...

This was intoxicating and woozy. Goodness!

singleton said...

Ultra....
"Intoxicating and woozy"
It was!
I wish I would have thought of those exact words.....
That's exactly how the night went!

Peace :)