The Kennedy Center is known to the world
For honoring those in the arts –
From Ella Fitzgerald, Count Basie, Astaire,
Whose talents top all of the charts.
Sinatra, Gene Kelly, L. Bernstein, Kazan
And Benny and Lena and Merce,
Ray Charles, Lucille Ball, Isaac Stern and George Burns,
The list both profound and diverse.
Belafonte and Ailey and Hepburn and Peck,
Gillespie and Sondheim, the Who;
Aretha and Dylan and Kander and Ebb,
Judith Jamison, Chuck Berry, too.
Baryshnikov, Quincy, Paul Simon and Cash,
Warren Beatty, James Taylor and Cher;
Tina Turner and Spielberg and Barbra and Tharp,
Yo Yo Ma, Dustin Hoffman – all there.
Al Pacino and Elton, De Niro and Streep,
Lily Tomlin, Santana and Sting;
LL Cool J and Reba and Joni, Mel Brooks,
Lionel, Dick Van Dyke, Carole King.
There are more I’ve not mentioned, but going ahead,
It is going to be quite a shock
When the Kennedy Center will honor, perhaps,
Village People or maybe Kid Rock.
Oh, I fear for this country in so many ways
And it feels we’ve been stabbed in our hearts
With the Kennedy Center now being run
By a man with no stake in the arts.
We once danced like the glowing Lampyridae
Bathing in the molten heat of a new fire
While walking hand in hand
Down loves panoramic highways
Flames of belonging and such sensuous fire
Lit and consumed our aura's
But when the winter of our love season arrived
With the familiar sound of jingle bells
Announcing our Oak wedding anniversary
On that particular sunrise
On December the fifth
That mesmerising spell broke like the mythical Sword of Elendil
And my world
Shattered
So blue is my new season watching the midnight Lampyridae dance
Alone
In the silvery moonlight
Like a young Gene Kelly and Rita Hayworth
As we once did
While my life slowly drifts
South
After I lost you
My world and the only thing that once mattered
Wandering lost in my mind's so many labyrinths filled with our hieroglyphs
As I stand alone on
Death's high cliff
When I remember that first time we met
On that beautiful night
When our souls were ordained by God's light
(C)
Copyright John Duffy
(Lampyridae: Firefly)
In quiet bay's embrace, where waters sigh,
I gaze at mountains 'neath the western sky.
Their stoic peaks, a timeless range,
Whisper tales of change, foretell the strange.
As thick cloud veils the once majestic view,
An atmospheric river brews anew.
The deluge nears with torrential might,
Veiling peaks in a shroud of endless night.
Dreams of Gene Kelly, dancing in the rain, light and free,
I thought to waltz within the storm with glee.
Yet, as I spread my makeshift wing,
It opened, spun, a tempest's fling.
No dance with lift, but a wild ballet,
Blown away, on hills, I found my way.
Not my dance in the rain, but rain in flight,
A twirl with wind, a spectacular sight.
The deluge unleashed, a relentless pour,
Nature's rhythm on a relentless tour.
The hills transformed, a watery stage,
A tale unfolding, a rain-soaked page.
Then, as swift as it had come to play,
The front passed over, unveiling day.
Sunlight pierced the lingering gloom,
A promise of calm after tempest's bloom.
In the aftermath, a cleansed terrain,
A story etched by the atmospheric reign.
For in the dance of rain and wind's embrace,
Nature weaves a tale of beauty and grace.
We splashed and dashed
We cared no jot
No inhibitions
Or adult rot
The rain was cool
The muddy puddles
No obstacles
No silent troubles
Just joyful freedom
With innocence
No hidden agenda
Or false pretence
I'm not sure when
We made the change
When childhood joy
Crept out of range
Although we've grown
Matured I'd say
In one sense drifted
Too far away..
The curious
The beautiful
These open hearts
Protect from dull
So when it rains
I want to be
The one who dances
Gleefully
In deepest puddles
Barefoot, or welly
We should all be
More like Gene Kelly
All those years
The moment I held your tiny fingers
All I ever wanted
For you to be happy
Live your life your truth
Tell your story
Sing your love to the world
Like your Gene Kelly
Singing in the rain
Dancing with Judy Garland
Over the rainbow
You'll see me again
And Under the starry sky
Remember me
I am your reason why
All those years
Brings us here
Wipe away those lonely tears
Let go of all your fears
I will always be by your side
You'll see me always
In the Sunlight ..
Love Mum
Ah! The Golden Years of Hollywood
And those old black and white movies
Some were cinematic disasters
But some you could call quite groovy
Even now, my heart skips a beat
When one appears on the late night screen
I choke up a bit seeing John Wayne
As he swaggers in and out of the scene
Today with its technology and trickery
We don't know if people are real
Or made up computer animation dudes
To me, it seems way too surreal
Take me back to the Spaghetti Westerns
The gangster films of Cagney and Bogart
The Three Stooges, Abbott and Costello
Loved them all, that was cinematic art
The stunning sensuality of Ingrid Bergman
The glamour of a young Elizabeth Taylor
The bombshell beauty of Marilyn Monroe
Bardot, Betty Grable and more
The newsreels, the cartoons, the travelogues
And the giant blockbusters of the time
Sure was a lot for twenty-five cents
Plus popcorn and a drink for a dime
Ah! The Golden Years of Hollywood
Great musicals like “Singing In The Rain”
“An American In Paris” with Gene Kelly
Sure wish I could go back there again
Ah! The Golden Years of Hollywood
And those old black and white movies
Some were cinematic disasters
But some you could call quite groovy
Even now, my heart skips a beat
When one appears on the late night screen
I choke up a bit seeing John Wayne
As he swaggers in and out of the scene
Today with its technology and trickery
We don't know if people are real
Or made up computer animation dudes
To me, it seems way too surreal
Take me back to the Spaghetti Westerns
The gangster films of Cagney and Bogart
The newsreel of the day plus a cartoon
Loved them all, that was cinematic art
The stunning sensuality of Ingrid Bergman
The glamour of a young Liz Taylor
The bombshell beauty of Marilyn Monroe
Bardot, Betty Grable and more
The newsreels, the cartoons, the travelogues
The giant blockbusters of the time
Sure was a lot for twenty-five cents
Plus popcorn and a drink for a dime
Ah! The Golden Years of Hollywood
Great musicals like “Singing In The Rain”
“An American In Paris” with Gene Kelly
Sure wish I could go back there again
"You dance love, and you dance joy and you dance dreams."
- Gene Kelly
I am lost in an endless dream
My love and I are together
Dancing hand in hand, we're a team
Like the zephyr and a feather
Swirling and swaying to the beat
We are caught up in love's sweet trance
To the music, tapping our feet
Adrift in our fantasy dance
I do not want this dream to end
To wake up and find I’m alone
But dawn breaks in to apprehend
Into the real world, I’m thrown
I await night’s darkness to sleep
To dream of my love and our dance
I am lost in fantasy deep
Hope this will last longer perchance
3rd April 2022
Syllable count: 8.8.8.8.8.8.8.8
I’m ready for investing in some ballroom real estate.
The music starts at nine o’clock; we’ll get there half past eight.
Be sure to wear your sexy dress. I’ll wear my sexy pants.
The rooftop lounge is under glass; let’s go downtown and dance.
Listen to the magic of that Spanish guitar.
It can take us far and away
Swinging past the limits of the evening’s expanse,
Gliding through the night like in some gothic romance.
We’ll tango through the crowd like irresponsible gazelles.
Then sip some fine champagne and eat dark chocolate nonpareils.
If I may seduce you with a mischievous glance,
I’d like to take your hand and have us go downtown and dance.
Savor the abrazo as we caminata;
Abrida with your foot touching mine.
Ocho walking backwards when I make my advance.
Gancho as we tangle in a sensuous trance.
Now don’t expect ballet with arabesques and pirouettes.
I never met Gene Kelly; didn’t work with the Rockettes.
But I’ll never let you fall if you piernazo by chance.
So, my pretty senorita, let’s just go downtown and dance.
Spending today
whilst wiling away
each hour
each minute
each second
Pottering about
doing nought
I am feeling
relaxed as can be
For today I have spent
with delightful intent
bathing in words
luxuriating in bubbles
with poetry cleansing my soul
erasing my troubles
sploshing
and splashing
I swim in her poetry puddles
just like Singing in the Rain
I love playing this game
becoming Gene Kelly again…
Written on 2nd March 2020 after spending a delightful day writing and reading mine and others poetry on Poetry Soup - indulgent and decadent yet oh so peaceful...
Contest Strand Choice B
Sponsor Brian Strand
1st PLACE
22 May 2021
Contest Name What Brings You Peace
Sponsor Chantelle Anne Cooke
1st PLACE
it's raining
dropping
on my roof
reminding
me that
i have for
gotten my
umbrella
but re
membering
that each
drop is a
note in a song
that allows
me to sing
ing
in the
rain while
dancing
I knew two twenty-somethings who
had been soul mates since age sixteen.
One commonality that drew
them to each other was a keen
enjoyment of old movies, those
with lively song-and-dance routines.
On weekend nights they sometimes chose
a Fred and Ginger* film with scenes
that thrilled, but Singin’ in the Rain,
became top choice. One time when they
were watching—Don’t think I‘m insane
when I tell what transpired that day!
As unpredicted raindrops fell
and matched those on the tv screen,
the loving couple could not quell
the urge to reenact the scene.
Outside, quite wet, they’d morphed into
the movie’s Don and Kathy.** While
they sang and danced, they bid adieu
reality in their own style!
*Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers—iconic dance team of the
1930’s and 1940’s who starred in ten movies during this time
**roles played by Gene Kelly and Debbie Reynolds in this movie (1952)
entered in Brenda Chiri's Tell Me a Story Contest on October 23, 2018
Note: I posted this poem earlier, messed it up, had to repost!
Entered in Brian Strand's Contest 512 on October 31, 2018
bright fun musical
Gene Kelly love triangle. . .
c'est magnifique
Copyright © 2018 by Mark Toney. All rights reserved.
Published 2018 in "Hollywood Haiku" via wattpad.com
NEVER venture outdoors when it's raining cats and dogs
It rained cats and dogs during a drought and the farmers were NOT amused
It rained cats and dogs and the county WORKERS were not amused
However they were grateful because there had been recent layoffs
Due to inflation, every time it rains it rains, quarters from heaven
When Gene Kelly sang in the rain he got arrested for disturbing the peace
So Donald O’Conner had to take over and HE got arrested for public intoxication
So they asked Debbie Reynolds and she said, ‘You have GOT to be kidding... I just got my hair done’
Every time it rains, it rains pe…Ouch (THAT’S gonna bruise)
Just my luck…It rained pennies from heaven and I forgot to turn my freekin' umbrella upside down
Due to inflation in now rains quarters from heaven (Dude, you seen the price of UMBRELLAS lately?)
Sure wish it would rain on somebody ELSE’S parade for a change
Once it HAILED on my parade (The floats sustained irreparable damage and there were minor injuries)
Nobody’s gonna rain on MY pa…(Uh, God…You forgot to clear this with Mother again didn't you?)
Submitted for:
‘Poem: Rainy Days’ sponsored by Leonora Galinta
Ah! The Golden Years of Hollywood
And those old black and white movies
Some were cinematic disasters
But some you could call quite groovy
Even now, my heart skips a beat
When one appears on the late night screen
I choke up a bit seeing John Wayne
As he swaggers in and out of the scene
Today with its technology and trickery
We don't know if people are real
Or made up computer animation dudes
To me, it seems way too surreal
Take me back to the Spaghetti Westerns
The gangster films of Cagney and Bogart
The Three Stooges, Abbott and Costello
Loved them all, that was cinematic art
The stunning sensuality of Ingrid Bergman
The glamour of a young Liz Taylor
The bombshell beauty of Marilyn Monroe
Bardot, Betty Grable and more
The newsreels, the cartoons, the travelogues
And the giant blockbusters of the time
Sure was a lot for twenty-five cents
Plus popcorn and a drink for a dime
Ah! The Golden Years of Hollywood
Great musicals like “Singing In The Rain”
“An American In Paris” with Gene Kelly
Sure wish I could go back there again
© Jack Ellison 2014
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