Mountain
Music
The music, freed
from wood and string
by work-worn fingers,
followed the rising moon
up over the hills,
beat and melody
borrowed from ancient times.
I always loved the
slower tunes, sung
in mournful yearning
for lost love
or Christ’s return,
pure feeling unconstrained
by marketability,
the pressure to succeed
reaching no further than
the neighbor’s heart.
Even now, so many years
gone and the substance
of life irrevocably changed,
I go out to see
the rising moon,
remembering
calloused hands
and The Savior
is a-callin’.
I have always found something completely magical about music, but the type you describe here...it can reach straight into your soul.
ReplyDeletevery beautiful.
You have it, music which etches something indelibly within you.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely the right direction..it feels like the music is both in the mountains and of the mountains..the sense of work..of real labor..and toiling...shines through..like rock to be chipped away..wood to be carved..we all need a saviour of some sort in such a world..Jae
ReplyDeleteWith you all the way there, Nico. Music of the soul, which is not 'soul music'. A shaman, tapping on his tabor, while someone sings a 'roiku' (with, or without specific words), and the reindeer stand quietly listening.
ReplyDeleteI found this quite engaging. I especially like:
ReplyDeletepure feeling unconstrained by marketability, the pressure to succeed reaching no further than the neighbor’s heart.
love that simplicity...great truths with a breath of fresh mountain air. Nicely done.
RMP, Thank you. I like a wide range of music, modern and older, but the music of my childhood still makes my hair stand on end.
ReplyDeleteRobin, That's just what I was aiming for, thank you!
Jae, Nice to see you here, and thanks for the affirmation. Sometimes things seem chaotic and hopeless--music can provide a moment of sanity for me.
Leigh, Thank you, and I'm happy to see someone generalize on the specific. My own background draws me to Appalachian mountain music--another tradition provides the same experience. Mercy has a way of calling all of us, in my opinion.
Jennifer, Thank you for your kindness. I wondered about those lines, not sure if I did them justice--I'm glad someone liked them!
Quite beautiful words. It was like I could read them, and they'd take me to another place. You did an excellent job with this.
ReplyDeletenico- yes. i love the soft, soulful ballad,
ReplyDeletealso and your prose is thisclose to that
feeling. thank you.
Nia, thanks for stopping by and being so generous with your comment.
ReplyDeletePaige, I thank you. I felt like I was close to where I wanted to be with this as well, but it helps to hear someone else say it!