Once she performed it
she made it her own
With joy we all listened
and marveled atoned
Endowed from the heavens
the Angels in awe
Her spirit celestial
your nerve endings raw
A voice for all seasons
Grand Madam of sound
To search for a lifetime
her like never found
While crossing each genre
she made time a slave
Her stylings eternal
— a gift heaven gave
(For Aretha Franklin: January, 2024)
Music
The food of love..
To nourish my soul
Keeping me warm,
Dear friend, in the cold.
We dance and sing
Yet you never judge
Or my crazy, wide-eyed
Fantasy begrudge.
Although my frame
May be slow and weak.
You see the truth..
My moves are sleek
With You I'm fleet of foot
And never shy.
No Strictly ballroom
Can deny..
My spirit
Soars on wings again
Like Eagles high..
A flippin' ten.
Oh tuneful friend
Oh dancing Queen of joy
You raise us all
Each girl.
Each boy.
In sleepless dreams
We never yawn
We are Aretha;
Freddie;
Bjorn.
There is no heart without you.
No tune we cannot bring.
No hidden corner
Too dark to sing.
No greyed out human.
No colourless soldier.
No battle lost, with You.
No thing is ever over.
For music brings
Eternal light
Scattering the shadows
Of the night..
Revealing hope
And peace and love.
A gift composed
From high above..
If the curtain closes
I can only say;
When the final meal is music
..then play.
Jinjagoliath
3rd October 2020
Reign of terror plays out
Endless nights as victims shout
So many good ones vanish
People must hide their anguish
Equality is a forbidden word
Community's voice tries to be heard
Together they stand and die
Say a little prayer - then cry
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In memory of Aretha Franklin, singer, songwriter, actress, pianist, and civil rights activist, who died 16 August 2018.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Poetry Soup Featured Poem: November 1, 2020. In 2022, it was published in PS: It's Still Poetry.
Respect was Aretha’s request
Every good soul deserves the best
She lived her life
Pure and right
Ever honest and true
Creating music for me and you
To celebrate her life and our memories of her.
A shining light in Gospel has gone out.
She's singing where the original was made.
We can no longer see her face but hear
the voice loud and clear.
It is not goodbye, Aretha.
It is just a parting glance.
That you will still see us as you pass
over cloud's advance.
We will miss that charming smile
and the way you strut your stuff.
But, we still hold on to pieces of you
from the vinyl that you left.
So, sing to our Lord as the way you sang to us.
May God bless and keep you in His Holy arms.
For Her Singing Aretha Is Praised
We remember how she had been raised;
For her spirit was praised and praised;
Wanted and desired;
Us inspired,
And for great singing Aretha is crazed.
Jim Horn
Aretha Louise Franklin
Labeled "The Queen Of Soul"
She was expressive in her music
There was a story waiting to be told
Her voice was fierce and powerful
The sound was succinct and sharp
She was one to open up your mind
And give light to those stuck in the dark
Uplifting and exhilarating
Willing to enhance one's vision
Embracing love, life, freedom, and happiness
And carrying out her mission
When in a state of sorrow and pain
She still found a way to perservere
Her inner strength was profound
The messages in her songs were clear
At the age of 76
She has sadly passed on
The legacy of Aretha Franklin
Will continue to be heartstrong
Horn Aretha Haiku
Knew from beginning
Her mission was accomplished;
For her stand so proud.
Was quite a singer
Who we are certain to miss
For infinity.
Seemed so soft spoken;
About her she had a way
We will not forget.
Sing some song softly;
Have flowers at her service;
With smiles can conclude.
Will remember her;
Had been courteous and sweet;
So very polite.
How much we love her;
Words to remember her by;
Aretha Franklin.
Simple and so kind;
Aretha always austere;
A humble person.
We had been spell bound;
Our souls she had held captive;
Never would let go.
Can hear her each song;
We will cherish forever;
Hum to selves each day.
A small part of me,
Left when she had gone away,
Being heaven bound.
James Thomas Horn
Retired Veteran
RiverSea Plantation
Bolivia, NC
Jim Horn
Louis Rams is celebrating the Queen's birthday.
2 mins ·
"in honor of the queen"
ARETHA - the legion
I woke up this morning with Aretha on my mind
one of the greatest singers of our time.
she started singing at a very young age
inspiring people while on stage
every song that she would sing
to many people ' tears " she'd bring.
her life will forever be told cause
she was born with a heart of gold.
at her concerts the crowds would scream and shout
till the moment she opened her mouth.
then she would pick up the Mic as ' RESPECT'
took to flight.
then she sang ' I SAY A LITTLE PRAYER "
as her voice filled the air.
her 2014 concert at the white house
gave president OBAMA chills and his spouse
when she sang Amazing Grace as the tears
rolled down her face.
( she was one of the best selling female artist in history
- with 15 million records sold worldwide )
SLEEP WELL MY SISTER
Voice of an angel our wonderful queen of soul
sending out her amazing message of respect
to build a freeway of love her ultimate goal,
I knew you were waiting (for me), without neglect,
she'd say a little prayer, with amazing Grace
she thought Dr. Feelgood was young gifted and black
mend a bridge over troubled waters, or replace,
melodic vocal power showed in every track,
this is just my tribute, my small way of thanking
this natural woman, god bless Aretha Franklin.
ARETHA - queen of soul
the queen of soul has passed away
but in our hearts she will always stay
"RESPECT " the best selling record of its time
became the favorite of yours and mine.
hailed by presidents and put in the hall of fame
where her memory will forever remain.
she was an angel sent here to sing
and all the joy that she would bring.
but she was not just a woman or just a singer
she was an "ICON " she was "Royalty "
and showed us how love should be.
we will miss you , heaven knows but you
are the one GOD has chose to sing in his
glorious choir dressed in heavens white attire.
REST IN PEACE MY QUEEN
Aretha and Her Singing Are Gone
Would feel goose pimples on my smooth skin;
I had heard Aretha sing song ending in Amen;
Get by somehow;
A memory now;
Singing is gone and she won't be back again.
James Thomas Horn
Retired Veteran
RiverSea Plantation
Bolivia, NC
Always the woman of RESPECT
RESPECT
E veryone from young to old remembers you.
T he very best of R&B, Soul, and Gospel.
Let me hear, one more time, that Gospel Music.
H eaven has opened its doors to you; Queen of Soul.
Sing lady sing that Gospel music.
A lways and forever will you be everyone's Queen.
Flowers, Music, Love.
No tears, no fears, just Love
Today the Queen of Soul has passed
And all the fans she has amassed
Feel saddened by this latest news,
Since she was one we hate to lose.
As listeners, we did rejoice
When hearing her distinctive voice
And she's the person, I suspect,
We think of with the word "Respect."
For R-E-S-P-E-C-T
Shouted out, we'd all agree,
Says it all, what we all need
In life, in order to succeed.
Aretha sang it loud and strong.
She made an anthem of that song
And no one has improved it yet;
In tribute, we will not forget.
Noon meal at the nursing home
and everyone is there
chowing down and talking.
Before dessert is served there’s
an announcement to be made
and Maxine is the one to do it
from somewhere in the room.
But few can see her since she’s tiny
just turned 90 and cannot stand.
She’s been doing this for years
and once she starts talking even
the deaf believe they hear.
She's their Aretha when she booms
“Let’s be in the day room, folks, at 3.
It’s our flu shot time of year."
Donal Mahoney
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