Breathe Deep
One becomes many,
building, pausing;
alone again, praying,
falling, melancholy,
subdued, sustained.
Incremental light
conversations of what
hope might look like.
Warmth spreads, grows,
turning eyes skyward.
There! Daybreak!
Tears stream each cheek,
air perfumed
with roses and birdsong.
Breathe deep.
Kim is today’s host for dVerse’ Poetics Tuesday. Kim says:
Now listen to ‘Adagio for Strings’ conducted by Gustavo Dudamel and played by the Wiener Philharmoniker.
Your challenge:
Write a poem that does one of the following:
1. Expresses your thoughts and feelings on listening to this piece of music.
2. Describes the music in words.
3. Explores the music through imaginative imagery or storytelling.
I love the fall and rise of breath and light, mimicking the fall and rise in Barber’s music, Li. And especially each infusion of hope, that radiant, “There! Daybreak!” after a long night.
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:) Happy always for your feedback, Dora. Thank you.
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♥️♥️
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Ah, you’ve captured the feeling I get when I listen to ‘Adagio for Strings’, Lisa – it makes me breathe deeply every time. I love these lines especially:
‘One becomes many,
building, pausing;
alone again, praying,
falling, melancholy,
subdued, sustained.’
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<3 Kim that's my favorite part of it also. Thank you.
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You’re most welcome, Lisa.
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That’s very poignant, Lisa 👍
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Yasan, thank you <3
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You’re welcome, Lisa. 💜 Have a great day ahead. ☺️
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Lisa, this really does make you breathe deeper reading it, just like the piece itself. Beautifully paced.
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I can imagine the heart swelling through this.
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:) <3 Thanks, Ken. The music is a little too subdued for my taste, but it gets to me at the end.
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This is sheer poetic brilliance, Lisa. I felt every word! ❤️❤️
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Sanaa thank you, my friend. <3
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Very raw and visceral in your delivery, I like how you intrepreted the song with your poem! 🎼
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Cara, happy you do. Thank you.
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Lisa this captures a poignant, meditative piece of resilience moving from isolated, melancholy into a quiet, sensory awakening – so good 🙌
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Ange, thank you for following my journey through the music <3
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🩷
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The ebb and flow of emotions (and music) put into words. (K)
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<3
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That transition from melancholy and isolation into the radiant burst of ‘There! Daybreak!’ mimics the crescendo of Barber’s Adagio so masterfully, Lisa! You translates the movement of sound into light and breath so beautifully. Lovely piece! 🎼✨
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Thanks so much, OM. I also like to think there is at least one other person present who hears the exclamation.
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That thought adds such a beautiful layer of warmth to it! 🌅 Knowing someone else is there listening to the dawn make its grand entrance makes it feel even more special. Hope you have a peaceful and inspiring rest of your week, Lisa! ✨
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Thanks, OM. You also.
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😊😊
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I love how every word counts in this poem – less is definitely more – Jae
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Jae, ::muah:: Thank you.
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Li, this is so beautifully written my friend. Very moving
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Sadje, many thanks <3
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You’re most welcome 💝
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Nicely done!
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Thanks, Dwight!
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A poem that breathes with you
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Yes :)
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This beautifully complements the music.
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Jay, it was a tough prompt, so thank you for saying so.
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Beautifully expressive, Lisa…it breathes with the music and is inspired by it: “Incremental light conversations of what hope might look like.”
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Lynn, my friend, thank you for reading and your comment <3
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My pleasure, Lisa :)
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Exactly… beautifully written!
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:) Thank you.
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At first glance, I thought your main image was a beach, but now the ‘ocean’ looks like snow. Which is true?
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Gia, it is Lake Michigan frozen in February. Icebergs form along the edge of the beach and move outward.
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So beautiful. I’m curious, is the lake ice ever strong enough for people to skate on it?
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The way it freezes has a rough surface, thick enough but too rough to skate. That said, it is dangerous to even walk on the frozen parts as it is unreliable, with cracks and pits. Finally, we have inland lakes here here that people ice fish on and I am guessing could be skated on. Do you ice skate?
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You words follow adagio beautifully, and are also descriptive of the feeling, this was evocative for me.
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Thanks so much, Paul.
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I’m more into sunsets, but I have watched a few sunrises over the ocean! And when the sun sets – inline with the creek the sun’s reflections shimmers with the slow movement of the water.
Lovely verse.
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<3 Thanks, Jules!
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