SINGING ONE'S HEART OUT (photo) & ELVIS (free verse dream poem) by Roswila

ELVIS

from the breath and heart
of singer after singer:

“…and I … will always love you …”

as each one has stepped into
focus as if from backstage, I wonder if
they have the musical chops anymore;
they are all aging and some weren’t
singers even in their vanishing youth;
but each one of them takes on the song
as if it were that proverbial piece of cake,
doing the love song not only full justice
but bringing a unique and deeply moving
flavor to their rendition; all that is, but the last:
Elvis Presley … uh oh! although it’s good to see
him – it’s been a long time since he’s visited –
how will he handle this melodically challenging
song? if the man standing here were the young
Elvis I’d not be concerned: “Love Me Tender”
was seriously and sweetly sung, but this man
in the spotlight of attention is the Elvis of his
late Las Vegas years, voice going … going …
all but gone, crazed, bit by bit, in the decades
of his ultimately failed struggles to fully realize
his talents; yet, he maintains his commitment
to this performance, and when pitch or control
cracks and flakes away like rust from some old,
heavily battered tail-gate truck, the grace
of his still true heart fills in the gaps


[free verse poem on a dream of 11-20-19. Another evening of dreams in which singing was central, the fourth time in recent weeks. Though singing/music in my dreams is not all that unusual, a few nights in a row, is. And this is actually the first visit from Elvis in what may be years. (He’s shown up in my dreams occasionally over the decades.) It’s been a while since I’ve mentioned this, I think: singing, of any kind and by anyone, is a multi-layered and powerful dream image for me. My father was a professional singer, and his parents sang in Vaudeville, back in the day. BTW, the song sung in this dream was “I Will Always Love You,” written and first recorded by Dolly Parton. If by some odd chance you’ve never heard her version, or Elvis sing “Love Me Tender,” I’d highly recommend you hie your way over to YouTube. Hm, in referencing those two songs together like this, I can see them as a dialogue: his request, her answer. Photo “Singing One’s Heart Out” (9-11-13 053v9[5]) by Roswila]

PLEASE NOTE: in most browsers you can click on the above image for a larger version. Also, the photo accompanying a post is not necessarily meant to illustrate it, but to reflect some small, even slant or contrasting aspect of the verse, similar to Japanese haiga (illustrated haiku).

There are many other sorts of posts on this blog. I indicate which are about or influenced by dreams. Some non dream focused posts are book reviews, "regular" poems (some by other writers), scifaiku, writing exercises, Tarot haiku, photos, haiga, and so on. However, most of those are in much older posts. There's a listing by month going back to early 2006, at the end of the sidebar.

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until next time, keep dreaming,





[a/k/a Patricia Kelly]
**** If you wish to copy or use any of my writing or poems, please email me for permission (under “View my complete profile”). Roswila's other blog (dedicated to her photos only, i.e. no poetry or other writing; daily post); TRYING TO HOLD A BOX OF LIGHT.