Sound bursts from the Nasik Dhol.
Son calls it, ‘Exciting!’
Dad finds it mad.
Teens are receptive to the trends of time.
Frenetic dance in the dry sand,
kindled by the cannabis and its cousins.
Dust rises from the present.
Chenda loses its human fence.
New drum shatters the eardrums.
But don’t cry it’s violent or wild.
To be modern,
one must hear music even in dynamite exploding,
and see beauty in a rock scattering.
Nasik Dhol – a big drum, producing thunderous sound, recently introduced
in the festivals in Kerala.
Chenda – a traditional cylindrical percussion instrument used in the state.
Tiny bar percussion instrument, I am in awed.
I rhythmically stroke my thumbs across your tines,
My soul floats upon your notes; my heart applauds.
Tensions and sorrow float away; your music unbinds.
It seems natural to hold you in my hands.
Your inharmonic overtones, to some, may seem odd.
Sweet dissonances lull me like no marching bands.
Simple reverberations discover my inner-self's facade.
I love to hear your pure tones resonate, floating.
Upon the breeze, contrasting sounds drift away.
Trickling timbre, like a bubbling brook…naturally calming.
Together, we become one with nature, joys stay.
Dreams drift to forever where fantasies thrive.
When you are in my hand, my soul soars.
I become ecstatically thrilled to be alive!
Awakened by the freedom your music implores.
INSTRUMENT: Thumb Piano A.K.A. Kalimba
© Dane Ann Smith-Johnsen
October 29, 2011
Poetry Soup Member Contest: >>> SOUND MADNESS <<<
Sponsored by: Nette Onclaud