Song

Of all that moves me.

Led down from the tower
Head high and hands bound
Blindfold declined against the wall
Black square pinned to his heart
His eyes afire and shining
And he sang...

He sang of Caruso, Townes Van Zandt
Pavarotti, Bocelli, Mercury,
Carreras, he sang of Antoine,
Of Sinatra, Lennon, Morrison, Redding
He sang and songbirds paused in flight
He sang like them all

He sang a song of himself
Of leaves of grass, of second comings
Of Byron, and Bharti, and Cummings
He sang of Neruda, and Plath, Tagore
Dickinson, Kamala Das and Naidu
Oh, he sang of them all

He sang of art and beauty
Of Mona Lisa and starry nights
Girls in green dresses and pearls
He sang of Van Gogh, of Picasso
Of Rembrandt, da Vinci
He sang of Michelangelo

He sang of sadness, pain
He sang of My Lai, Sand Creek
Of Guernica and Krystallnacht
He cried and sang of Wounded Knee
Of Katyn Forest, Sabra and Shatila
Oh, he wept as he sang

He sang of history and wonders
He sang of Olduvai and pyramids
Machu Picchu, Tikal, and Angkor Wat
He sang of a great wall, the Taj Mahal

Stonehenge, Easter Isle, Mesa Verde
His song took us to them all

He sang of courage
A song of Bunker Hill, Gettysburg
Of the Alamo, Normandy, Stalingrad
Of Lincoln, Guevara and Dr. King
He sang of Bolivar, Bhutto, Ghandi
He shamed us with their song

He sang his song...
As women sighed and peasants cried
He  sang until the rifles fired, he died
Songbirds fell from the sky
Soldiers broke their guns on stones
And marched into the deep blue sea.

4/12/14

Author's Note

My contribution to National Poetry Month.

Reviews

[C. Rose]

I enjoyed the "He sang of..." pattern. Very moving content.
Charming ending.

Confusing first stanza. Not sure what is going on there.
"Blindfold declined against the wall" ... Huh? Please explain. I don't get this part.

[Rick r]

Thank you for your read and comment, C. Blindfold declined: the singer declines a blindfold when stood against the wall before the firing squad. Perhaps I could clear this up with better line structure/wording throughout the first stanza. Good point.
Rick

[melissa]

This is amazing poem keep up the great work and keep them coming

[Rick r]

Thanks, Melissa.

[melissa]

Your welcome

[Patricia]

I am speechless....beautiful and flowing and my favorite names and history and all in poetry! It don't get better than this. Bravo!!!!!!!!!!