Saxtina

This is a sestina, loosely inspired by New Orleans and its music.

I feel the urge to express my inner blues

And so I take to the redness of the night,

Accompanied by my alto saxophone.

I drift along the sidewalks of Bourbon Street,

As a striking princess watches through the window,

Sensing life within the orchid beat.

Can I serenade her with the beat?

I know that in her body she feels the blues.

At midnight hour, she smiles from the window;

Her desire is a song among the night.

I play a Coltrane joint all through the street,

As if I'm making love by saxophone.

She fades to darkness with the saxophone,

Invisibly dancing to the lustful beat,

Joining me upon the crepuscular street.

Her body moves sinfully, just like the blues...

A penumbra tangoing with me tonight,

As chartreuse light reflects upon the window.

Our zamacueca dancement in the window

Is joined with the jazziness of saxophone.

Erotic secrets hidden in the night

Are hinted at only by music's beat.

Her kiss upon my lips tastes of blues,

The two of us in shadow on the street.

At 3 AM, a crowd usurps the street,

And we take shelter in a NOLA window,

Whispering to each other like the blues.

My words to her become the saxophone,

As she listens to my silent beats.

We remain invisible throughout the night.

She and I caress in cosmic night,

Hidden from carousal in the street.

Our bodies chemistrate to this new beat,

Just behind the portiere of the window.

Down below are echoes of saxophone,

That symphonize the city with their blues.

When the night ends, we open that window,

To hear the street, and taste the saxophone.

She has felt my inner beat; I have shared with her my spirit's blues.

Author's Note

The sestina is a poetry form with 39 lines, in which you repeat one of six words at the end of each line. This one uses: blues, night, saxophone, street, window, and beat.

Reviews

[s y e]

This one has won me over, my favourite from you for sure, Eric. Definitely something magnificent.

[Frieda P]

Woo I love this one, give me some blue train and you've won my heart. Sax is a very sensual instrument, you got my spirits in a soar with this one Eric! Kudos....

[Frieda P]

I wanted to add how much I love N'awlins real quick too but I got stuck behind the blue balls of the cafe!

[Shirlena]

Well...was ist the music our being in the throes of passion that is the draw regarding this poem. It was the battles of the "saxes". Extremely sensual write...you wrote about jazz alright lol.

[Eric Pudalov]

Thank you, I was going for sensual! As for the inspiration, initially it was music...but you know how a story can "write itself" sometimes? That's what happened here; it started to become a love story in my mind. So I made it both!

[Shirlena]

I see you got carried away but like you said a write can go right sometimes. Thank you I love it...sexy.