Operatic Fever

I do not understand
their language but the
power of voice and timbre
grab me and shake
the meaning from my core.

The secrets, they lie like thieves
waiting to steal a promise
of happiness and replace it with
a broken replica filled with shadows.

Tears wrought for foolish pride
and sacrifice glide down my cheeks,
salted raindrops caught
in the corners of my down turned mouth

as the deathbed scene plays
havoc with my heart until
I want to scream at them all,
had you known the truth...

would it had even made a difference?

Author's Note

captch: maimer

Reviews

[Creepy Swine Guy]

Nicely penned. I am reminded of the opera sequence in The Shawshank Redmption where Red said ...

"I have no idea to this day what those two Italian ladies were singing about. Truth is, I don't want to know. Some things are best left unsaid. I'd like to think they were singing about something so beautiful, it can't be expressed in words, and makes your heart ache because of it.

I tell you, those voices soared higher and farther than anybody in a gray place dares to dream. It was like some beautiful bird flapped into our drab little cage and made those walls dissolve away, and for the briefest of moments, every last man in Shawshank felt free."

youtube.com/watch?v=azWVPWGUE1M

[icelandicblue]

God, that gave me goosebumps it was so beautiful. Thank you for sharing that. Opera is otherworldly and when I wrote this I was thinking of La Traviata. It was Verdi's birthday not long ago and I listened to a piece on the radio and it got me thinking...Thanks

[Angel]

This is amazing!
I've always thought I was weird, because I actually do like opera.
Who knew that there were "normal" people who liked it, too?

OH.
Well, we're all writers, here...so who wants to be "normal"?????

[icelandicblue]

Thanks so much Angel. It just goes to prove there is more to opera than just the words. ; )

[Rita L. Sev]

Though I took Italian in high school, I cannot understand opera at all - but the music is captivating, and the draw of art and culture is priceless. Your soul becomes visible here, Blue - only a true artist could pen such lovely words.

[icelandicblue]

A curtsy and blush from me, thank you.

[TL Boehm]

sometimes the music conveys the emotion whether one grasps the words or not - you've captured this so well. that feeling that goes to the core

[icelandicblue]

Thanks again Tammy for always taking the time to read and comment on my poetry. They say mathematics is the universal language but I think music is the universal language of emotion.

[Anand Sehgal]

very good abstract with granular images. Liked it very much.

[icelandicblue]

Thank you for reading and commenting.

[Dr. Wood ?]

well this is special ICE..You amaze me sometimes..Puts my simple old rhymes in their place and that's for I can often hear a voice singing and have no idea what the lyrics are but I know how moving they must be by the voice alone..And the second verse..I still hate the word Stanza, but that is because I do not understand it....The second verse is STUNNING

[icelandicblue]

You humble me Doc, truly. Rhyming is no easy task and you do it most expertly. I am happy that you liked this one because I wasn't sure if this would speak to anyone being that there so many opera haters. Life can be like that second stanza in real life perhaps that is its power ; )

[Dr. Wood ?]

I have to admit that Opera goes straight over my head..I have an i pod with everything from Sebelius to the Smiths and Sinatra to Joni Mitchell...BUT NO opera...But as I said, A voice with feeling speaks a thousand words, in any language

[icelandicblue]

There is an American Opera called Porgy and Bess written by Gershwin and the song Summertime is simply one of the most beautiful songs I have ever heard. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O7-Qa92Rzbk

[Dr. Wood ?]

I LOVE that song...Always have and always will....I am a sucker for a haunting tune..My Dad used to write great tunes and HE used to sing wonderfully too..He often sang Summertime

[icelandicblue]

I just listened to it and it's so beautiful it brought tears to my eyes. What a wonderful memory for you my friend. I also love the music from Carmen.

[Dr. Wood ?]

Well my saying is..If it is good...I like it....We all know what isn't.......MELODY is most important, there is an old series being re run on one of our tv channels, Jonathan Creek..the theme tune is Dance Macabre..Saint-Saens........Bloody fantastic

[icelandicblue]

I had heard of Danse Macabre but did not know it, I just listened to it and it is fantastique. The violin sent shivers up my spine. I also love Mussorgsky's - Night On Bald Mountain. Now I shall shut up. ; )

[Dr. Wood ?]

ha ha....I am proud to be the one to introduce you to that awesome piece of music....I'll look up Mussorgsky

[Frieda P]

This is gorgeous Anne, and although my head isn't all here today, I still felt the meaning of this one, just as music drifts in and out of our psyche and plants itself in that deep rooted place of forever affected. Brilliant piece of moving art here, it'll stay with me long after I close your page...

[icelandicblue]

Frieda,
Your reviews truly brighten my day and I will be forever grateful. I do hope you are recovering rapidly and know that I have missed your smile.

[Frieda P]

Thanks so much Anne, seems I've concocted a secondary infection to the flu and ended up with pneumonia, it's been the month from hell to say the least....if it weren't for poetry I'd go totally batshyte crazy for sure...save me from soup and rest. You're most welcome, this one hit the spot....

[Linda Marie Van Tassell]

I grew up in an environment that did not allow for cultural growth. I grasped at straws of other cultures through reading and music. I used to listen to opera, and it would drive my mother crazy. I can still hear her screaming at me to "turn that $hit off!"

For me, despite not knowing the words, every fiber in my bones detected the meaning. I think that this is the one great beauty about music. It crosses all boundaries, sneaks through the door of your soul; and before you detect its arrival, it silently whispers in your ear.

We know and we understand. The sound of the music is in our soul.

Thank you so much for chancing upon one of my poems and leaving a review. Otherwise, I might have missed the dance.

[icelandicblue]

Your poem was so breathtaking it is I who was lucky to stumble upon it. I look forward to reading more of your work. I do agree that music cuts across all barriers and settles in each of our cells before we even realize it. Thank you so much for commenting.

[Linda Marie Van Tassell]

Thank you; and once again, the pleasure was all mine. :-)

[Tom]

Poe's famous poem about a play called 'The conquer worm'; come to mind here !

A standing ovation is in order for this dramatic poem !

[icelandicblue]

Thank you for that! I had to go and read the poem and it was marvelous:

Through a circle that ever returneth in
To the self-same spot,
And much of Madness, and more of Sin,
And Horror the soul of the plot.

I learned something and I loved it. Thanks Tom!

[Tom]

You're welcome Ice'blue, your poem is just as good !

[jacob erin-cilberto]

this is amazing. and i too find opera to be so engaging emotionally, even if i have no idea what they are singing...it just sounds so full of emotion..it touches us...

i don't know if it would make a difference.

[icelandicblue]

Thanks for reading this one jacob. You always write such wonderful commentary.