Sunday, August 23, 2009

Night and Day

Night and day, you are the one,
only you beneath the moon and under the sun,
whether near to me or far
It's no matter darling where you are
I think of you, night and day.

Keely Smith I believe. Certainly Sinatra.

Day and night, night and day, why is it so
that this longing for you follows wherever I go?
In the roaring traffic's boom,
in the silence of my lonely room
I think of you, day and night.

Night and day, under the hide of me
there's an, Oh!, such a hungry yearning
burning inside of me,
and this torment won't be through
until you let me spend my life
making love to you
night and day.

There's an intro section I didn't copy. Isn't this great writing? Go listen to it somewhere. It's a smashing song.

I used to sing this among many other Sinatra tunes to practice singing in my junior and senior years of high school. This was already older music by then, my dad's music. I would find a closet or some other enclosure somewhere separate from others and belt them out, or stay home from school and do the same in the empty house. That was best because we had Sinatra on old reel to reel tape and I could sing with him. I knew the vocal staging of Sinatra perfectly. I didn't have the voice for it really. Too bad. But what is good, it's why big band jazz rhythm is a part of my soul.

By the way, this reminiscence has very little to do with the poem :) There is just enough that I came by the mind freak tonight honestly.


Sleepwalker

I accept you. You're
the one who walks with magic
through the walls of time,
through the halls beyond
the dry daytime ways we walk,
and there you seldom
have true company.

I also know you here, sitting
draped across the knot
you fashion, your life
as a daytime creature, raw,
bleeding a little
when not caught in joy,
in the grand play of your heart.

I know you, jewel
from the loving flame,
with just a small spot or two -
creature of your dream.

February 8, 2009 12:07 PM

5 comments:

  1. Oh Christopher, for me it was Billy Holiday... I used to listen to this song so much

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wsryWh4acrE

    I am too tired to make a link, but it is so beautiful. Thank you for reminding me...

    :) I love that big band is part of your soul...Mine too...my father taught me so many songs, so many while we walked the dog, and we would listen to all his old records. Oh how I am smiling remembering this...

    Your poem is stunning. To start with the words "I accept you" ...somehow seems heart wrenching .. I don't know why it seems that way to me...

    I am sorry I have been away from your blog... I come and read and don't leave comments and now I am here and saying too much...

    Maybe I am sleepwalking myself right now. Thank you, {{Christopher}} for all that you have done for me

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  2. Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, and U2!! You are right, great song. I could sing in the shower but not around anyone that's for sure.
    ****
    OMG, so cool, "jewel from the loving flame". Have to show hubby this one!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Cole Porter. No one can touch him. Thank you, Liz, for your reminiscences.

    Michelle, I was just at your site. I waiting with bated breath for your new life to emerge.

    TB, part of the trouble with the recording industry, the professionals raise the bar for the rest of us. Back in the 1900's, before WWI, the parlor music industry was working hard to figure out how to help all us less talented and dedicated musicians do music for ourselves and our families. It was common entertainment to get together for sing alongs. Nobody was that good. It didn't matter. Far more of us would sing then.

    ReplyDelete

The chicken crossed the road. That's poultry in motion.


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