The Violin
You must use the body - its curves,
its hollows, the spring of the sound, which
brings back what is absent, what has
been and is now gone, fading. Cat-gut,
fret, the busy machinery of longing,
which takes its strength from the
presence of absence, the body's darkness,
the wood carved out, thinned and
made to flex. There is a pain at the
source of it - so easily broken, this tree
without a heart, the sap dried to amber
patina. Only in the sound can you
hear it move, the veins in the blood of
the body that is no more. The bow pulled
along the taut strings, a pitch that
is all but unbearable.
Sheila Black
You must use the body - its curves,
its hollows, the spring of the sound, which
brings back what is absent, what has
been and is now gone, fading. Cat-gut,
fret, the busy machinery of longing,
which takes its strength from the
presence of absence, the body's darkness,
the wood carved out, thinned and
made to flex. There is a pain at the
source of it - so easily broken, this tree
without a heart, the sap dried to amber
patina. Only in the sound can you
hear it move, the veins in the blood of
the body that is no more. The bow pulled
along the taut strings, a pitch that
is all but unbearable.
Sheila Black
just lovely. wonderful post about the violin, one of my favorite musical instruments that can only resonate sounds of passionate beauty.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Lorilynn! My father was a violinist and I loved to listen to him play.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful as always B :)
ReplyDeletelovely poem and and incredible work of art you have created to go along with it.
ReplyDeleteThat's so gorgeous! So much musical art in that image.
ReplyDeleteThat's beautiful Barbara, how wonderful that your father used to play violin. You must have some very special memories of him playing.
ReplyDeleteMy father also played the violin, thanks for the lovely memories :-))
ReplyDeleteThank you so much Neva! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks bunches Montucky! :)
Yes, Kate, I do have great memories of Dad playing. Thank you! :)
Well, Jonie, we have even more in common then! Thank you! :)
Very, very lovely with a wonderful composition and coloring. I do love violin composite pictures:)
ReplyDeleteWhy, thank you, Anna! That pleases me! :)
ReplyDeleteAfter viewing your image, reading your poem, and looking through the comments I've decided to put in this link, which I normally don't do in someone else's blog, but I figure it so applies:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Um9KsrH377A
The beauty of the instrument along with the music which springs from it can and does go a step further if you allow it. For in reality we hear the music, but don't we also see the music? What is music if it doesn't put forth images in our head such as your father or Kate's father as you see them playing from long time ago? We all see images if you think about it when we listen to music... so is music a sublime visible thing? Sorry to be wordy but your image struck a chord.
Preston, any one is welcome to add links to their comments. The video was so-o-o moving with a wonderful message. I was enthralled by it.
ReplyDeleteYes, I believe music is very visual and reaches deep into the emotions also.
No need to apologize for being wordy, actually I am rather flattered! Thank you so much for a wonderful, uplifting comment. :)
Awesome post! thanks a lot for sharing..
ReplyDeleteThank you for stopping by, CPS! :)
ReplyDelete