Short Bernstein Poems

hop
skip
jive,jump
run
      toward
      the sound:
be alive
     glide 
     slide
turn
      stop
and reflect

Inspired by YouTube clip of Bernstein Magnificent Seven theme...

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SYMPHONY

Searching the audience
Young and old in rapt attention
Maestro, Bernstein, has come on stage
Players have done their final warm up
House lights are dimmed
Only the foots and high spots remain
No one stirs, all are reverently expectant
You know this work – it’s Schubert – relax


Dave Austin...

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With the war still raging overseas
Woodward and Bernstein dug to write
President impeached for misdeeds
The seventies came and stayed the night

Bell bottoms flared on to the scene
Disco came, giving music to dance
The Son of Sam proved to be mean
During a blackout, life up to chance

TV was changing, more skin on the air
Kiss became a rage with the rock teens
Charlie had Angels, men all just stared
Life was changing in the seventies...

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Since “West Side Story” hit the stage,
No show could quite compare.
Such music, lyrics, dances, plot
Are magical and rare.

The gorgeous tunes you can’t forget
Are Bernstein at his best
And Sondheim’s words would leave the world’s
Top poets most impressed.

The choreography delights
With every Robbins move
And Arthur Laurents told the tale;
Will Shakespeare would approve.

I saw the play again today;
It never lets me down,
Deserving every accolade
That’s earned it its renown....

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