the piano played for hours
the chianti bottle has long been empty
~ we refuse to go home
Wordku: 5-7-5 words
AP: Honorable Mention 2025
POWER OF THE IVORIES
~~~~~~~~~~~
I wrote this poem as a remembrance of my mother. Even when macular degeneration and diabetes took her eyesight, she continued playing her beloved piano. I often sat adjacent to her, watching her arthritic fingers dance pirouettes across the 88 ‘blacks and whites,’ lost in creativity and the music. Her pain temporarily dissolved, and she was at peace in her musical heaven, soulfully content.
She walks into the empty room
and sits down on the stool;
her heart engulfed with grief and gloom
from life that has been both kind and cruel.
She knows that she must persevere
though things seem dark and grey;
then wipes away a single tear
as she begins to play.
Familiar music soon takes flight,
her sorrows start to lift;
and so she plays into the night
and feels the music’s gift.
At last, she plays a soft reprise
and feels her gloom depart;
true solace found in ivory keys
That mended her broken heart!
eyes dazed by magenta blaze
skin torn by piercing thorn
blood drop tickles zinc hole in morn
she knows her season is done
a petaling head will droop under afternoon’s Sun
abundance is a prime piano note
•¥¥•
frugal the piano notes sound
her head erect at midday
her season embraces her
with blood bleeding through as blush
her skin translucent calls
magenta gaze closes lids
I used to look to you,
and saw my baggy
of my darkness
but your humor
and I saw me in you,
never so strangers,
until a facade,
in my deepest
of fears
not of a mirror,
but swollen
eyes
left behind my dangers
and troubling,
fading
and I never wished it.
but those blue eyes
won't so call denial
escapee of the fleet,
of a falling harrowing,
spades so deadly
and
we tread
around
broken
glass....
simple
piano keys,
heart
may
be faster
as you
grow warmer,
with simplicity
And lost,
are
the tones
or estranged
and now dust
are worshiping
at Sunday's mass....
smiles so troubling.
In my youth I dreamt of playing the piano
filling the nights with romance and melodies
orchestrating sound and beauty
Reading and interpreting sheet music while
compressing innermost feelings into sequences of notes
translated in the language best understood by the heart
Swirling to the beat of rhythmic grace
rich with aphrodisiac chemistry
intoxicating mesmerizing beguiling
I’ve dreamt so long of pleasuring the night
to charm the moon and stars above
with my hypnotic serenades and symphonies
The raindrops fall into the paper cup of tea
The teabag shrinks as if it could be my remark
Unlatch the green door to the childlike mystery
It’s possible again to enter that old park
The busts and statues of the gods and greats
And shaded benches in the niches of the trees
There in the memory another alley waits
I haven’t walked on it to see where to it leads
Oh no! Those wobbly slabs I’ve walked before
The seagulls cry, the wind blows up the sand
Then comes the sound of the muted piano chords
I’ve no idea why I hear this again.
Piano man was what he said he was called.
Percussion he didn’t need to keep us enthralled.
Pianoforte, this was his instrument of choice.
Pacifying and entertaining with his velvet voice.
Piano man hit heights.
Please play those black and whites.
Pick a tune with pazazz.
Play that great old time Jazz.
Phrase those songs to tap our feet.
Pure honkey tonk, most complete.
Put old time feelings, sweet.
Perfection, feel the beat.
Play those ivory keys.
Plant new notes with such ease.
Piano man, don’t stop.
Please don’t play that hip hop.
Play us a jazzy tune.
Pleasure that we can croon.
Praising life, an all its ways.
Pitch is off, piano has seen better days.
Pure music-its still there.
Pretty sweet melodies fill the air.
Piano man, play any song you please.
Played as he laughed and tickled the keys.
The Piano
You have my undivided attention.
In a blue sky, it’s with devotion.
With grace, you speak kind words to me,
Past the Horizon, only you can see.
What lies ahead, when you turn the page
To meet someone new across the bay.
I see you for the first time is like,
Seeing heaven in the sky.
Whatever path we may take,
Everyday will be meaningful to save.
These are our memories to begin,
Under the sun set, only you understand.
The sound of a piano is you,
It is meant to be, to hold you soon.
Thank you for all the sacrifices you’ve made,
You are my equal everyday.
When you express yourself in a song,
I truly know where I belong.
I don’t want this to be too short,
Maybe one day, you will be at my door.
These words I only give to you,
Are like the songs you play that are so beautiful.
Each note I hear is like rain from above,
You have lifted up these burdens, with love.
Even though you maybe far,
I know you are playing a song like sapphire
Music that touches the soul. This is so wonderful.
Well, what kind of music can you describe?
The sound of her magic
She can say everything without words
And break the dumb silence
She is beautiful when she sounds in silence
So gentle with the touch
She touches every key of my soul
I love it, I listen with pleasure
She will talk about love and separation
She will cheer you up in an instant
When her magic sounds
They will cover the souls of a rusty scream
She will transmit everything that is in nature:
The sound of the sea and the melody of rain,
And the wind howls, and the sun is rising,
A golden sunset at the end of the day
Well, how not to listen to her, not to love her
She is a continuation of our lives
Blessed is the one who can make music
And give us beautiful moments!
a man, aging yet still of play
for he, a piano plays he
and piano plays he well
but die does our aging man
for he, dead, yet playing on
and piano plays beyond
as born is a child born
for he, a piano plays he
and how plays our child well
a gift, piano, barely learned
but known in this child
as once known in aging man
and thus man in child born
for he, a piano plays he
as forever our piano be
The piano tuner
there used to be a greengrocer on the ground floor
except for potatoes, there was not much call for
another vegetable, the shop closed a piano tuner rented
the space and partly white-washed the windows
he didn't like to be seen by passers-by
I sat on the gate into our yard pretending to be a cowboy
when he asked me to help him in the shop, yes, I was glad
to help got boring being a cowboy
He sat me on a piano stool, opened up my fly, began
playing with my innocent , with his right hand he
wanked himself, I was too petrified in fear I didn't
run away; when he ejaculated, he dried himself with a hanky
in his pocket and, in a brusque manner, told me to leave
Outside, it took me a while to realize this man was a pig
but I was too ashamed to tell anyone and instead went
up to our flat opened a book by Robert Louis Stevenson
and began reading about islands and bright light
under a full moon night awakens
magical fingers dancing across a keyboard
enchanted stars, the trees, and
blooms approach to appease their curiosity
AP: 1st place 2025
Soul my soul in me
Black and white keys
Dominate, the Rapsody
Celestial Holy energy
I receive huggINGly
Abreast and believingly
Above all things,
Glorious harmonies, we sing
~
Ivory cares;
Level yes;
Heartbeats in chest;
Soul my soul breathe;
Rainbow colors black and white,
Embraced colors ivory black N white;
Lovers of melodies prominent
~
Lo! music love vocals of heart;
Rhapsody imparted elephants march;
She played the chords of voice;
The band levied the coarse;
Touching all the keys;
Melody
~
Black and white keys
Dominate, the Rapsody
Celestial Holy energy
I receive huggINGly
Abreast and believingly
Beautiful Aesthetics Oneness in
Matter oneness is spirit for we are
Above all things,
Glorious harmonies, we sing
Piano Keys
SATIE
intervals
of
silence
CAGE
silent
four
minutes
GLASS
minimal
motion
music
TRIKU the single word hiku with integral one word title -
Sweetness is a Jasmine January
Seeds its scent along the inkberry
Starflowers streaming a fecund path
I bask in a heavenly perfumed bath
Winter bouquets an Elysian Field sanctuary
Jasmine scents ladies of the night
Jazzman ticklin’ ivory ‘neath a sultry light
With a surging merge all kept warm
During the raunchy ruckus and snowstorm
New Orleans brothels wintery delights
Related Poems