Monday 2 August 2010

One Stop Spotlight: Breathe by a poem by Claudia

today it is my privilege once again to spotlight one of the many talented poets i have found in the blogosphere. for those that have been participating in One Shot Wednesday, this name should be familiar.

it was not too long before we started One Stop that i stumbled upon Claudia at SPLITTERGEWITTER (which means 'a thunderstorm of splints'). while Claudia will tell you she is just learning poetry, she does some wonderful things capturing moments of life in words. do drop by and visit her and enjoy this poem she breathed, just for us. ~brian

Breathe
the moment
my lips touch
cool metal
and my tongue senses
the rough surface
of warm wood
magic happens

i start to breathe
and you come alive
i start to breathe
and you begin to sing

they call you woodwind
i call you respire

i'm in a tense mood
and don't even realize
but you will show me
with your sound

i'm down?
you sound bluesy
i'm on top?
you dance along
there's a key for each emotion
and an embouchure
for every moment

love
when stainless steel
gets warm
with my breath
and I
get warm as well
and we jump and play
like children
like desperate
like lovers
like losers
like champions
from the highest pitch
to the deepest depths

and I breathe
and I don't wanna stop
to breathe
life into you
like the one
who breathes his life
into me
and fills my inmost
with sound and rhythm
with meaning and significance
and warms my heart
with emissive breath
and still feels the taste
of rough wood and soft soil
beneath his tongue

24 comments:

Unknown said...

Cool poem! Makes me miss my old trumpet and Shilke mouthpiece I used to use. Band nerds rock!

TALON said...

I love how creating the music reveals the moods and emotions...and really this is a love poem. Beautiful, Claudia.

Anonymous said...

I love the way that you capture your relationship with your instrument. Wonderful.

Have a nice day, Boonsong

Marshy said...

Claudia's love of the saxophone is legendary in the poems she writes..i love her site, its refreshing, full of music, love & romance...

a great poem that honours One Stop..thanks Claudia & thanks Bri for highlighting her today..

moondustwriter said...

I too miss my orchestra days. There is something that happens when you place your mouth on that mouthpiece that is magical.

Claudia - lovely piece

Brian - thanks for showing off our dear friend Claudia

alexis nicole said...

This is a beautiful thing!
These were my favorite lines...
"they call you woodwind
I call you respire"
Chills...

Fireblossom said...

oo goody! I have tried to visit Claudia three times but I get an error message every time for some reason. Now I can leave a comment!

This poem is iriginal and engaging and I really enjoyed having the opportunity to read it! I think I'll recall it whenever I see someone playing a wind instrument. Someone said to me once (about a guitar) that "it can be your best friend" and I wasn't sure what they meant exactly. Now I see!

Btw, I had to look up "embouchure" in the dictionary. Now I know an excellent new word.

Thanks for this one, Claudia!

Fireblossom said...

"original", not "iriginal." I should proof read my comments, lazy girl that I am.

Claudia said...

i started to play sax only 2 years ago - starting on my 40th birthday..
i was playing piano in a band, we set up for our company christmas party - and there was a sax player in our band - and i got goosebumps every time she started to play in our rehearsals...we were playing Joe Cocker "Unchain my heart" (listen to that sax part)- and my heart became "unchained"...
so - still learning, still getting to know each other, still having lessons - but lots of passion and fun...

ratatouille's archives said...

Hi! Claudia,
Your poetry is beautiful and this poem is...beautiful too!
I like the "tempo" of each word...your saxophone?
:-D
Brian-This is my first visit...I truly hope to stop by more often and read the beautiful poetry by poets.
What a very nice blog! and Thanks, for sharing!
DeeDee ;-D

steveroni said...

OH MY GOD! This is MARVELOUS! Thank you, Claudia...and Brian

Always and Forever.

Ed Pilolla said...

you use the sensation of taste so well here, so effectively.

dustus said...

After the last few One Shot Wednesdays and today's post, I am a fan...
"you dance along
there's a key for each emotion
and an embouchure
for every moment"

Amazing poem!

Yvonne Osborne said...

Makes me miss Band. Even though my instrument was the baritone sax. Keeping the beat.

Beautiful poem.

Mommy Emily said...

you poem FEELS. i love this.

Anonymous said...

Ooh yeah, gonna grooo-ooove to this one! Musicality in the words, bay-bee. Musicality! :)

Lisa Ursu said...

"they call you woodwind
i call you respire"

Wonderful piece!
Thanks for the introduction. I LOVE the name of Claudia's blog!

Maude Lynn said...

Oh, that last stanza is absolutely phenomenal!

Caty said...

Amazing :) I could almost hear the music!

PattiKen said...

Wonderful, Claudia, as always. To those of you who haven't had the pleasure, I highly recommend a visit to Claudia's blog.

Claudia said...

...just wanted to say a BIG thanks for commenting so nicely on "breathe"

most of you i "know" already - and have enjoyed the great things you are writing on your blogs and i feel honored to be here - a part of this "poetic blogosphere" - it's inspiring and fun and exciting and i look forward to one shot tonight!

claudia

Jessie said...

this truly has a musical soul and the tones of a poet.

masterfully accomplished!

warm smiles,

Kira Stann said...

Such a soul deep poem, describing a beautiful relationship between an instrument and the human that brings it to life.

Shosannah said...

A lovely livley poem.
I love the rhythmic undulations running through it.
It has a melody all of it's own!