“Make Your Own Kind of Music” For NaPoWriMo 2024, Day 17

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This is actually a true story. When I was at the beach a few years ago, I had a house right on the beach and it got so I never knew who I would find on my porch when I woke up in the morning. In the end, they set a number of my poems to music and recorded them.

Make Your Own Kind of Music

One and  two and three and four.
Four little music makers pounding on my door.
One beats a rhythm, one toots a horn––
wild and sweet––sort of forlorn.
One hums a tune behind his teeth––
a sort of descant underneath
the melody on the steel guitar.
The gulls reel in from near and far
to add their screams to the refrain,
then fan their wings, silent again.

Four musicians at my gate.
I wait for their music to abate.
Then I go and let them in
to add my music to the din.
I sing my lyrics fast and slow
first soft then loud, my lyrics go
up and over the drums and horn–
out into the sandy morn.
Over the rocks and out to sea,
setting all our music free.

When the drummer leaves my porch,
he leaves just three to loft the torch.
Too soon the horn, too, fades away
but the hummer’s here to stay,
and the steel guitar swells out to fill
the morning air until until
the morning fades into full sun
and our melody comes done.

Soon guitar and singer fade,
their morning share of music made,
and I fold my songs away.
I’ll bring them out some other day.
With music left behind I wind
only words around my mind.
They weave their spell with me along.
I lose myself in their noisy throng.
Wander aimless, round and round,
in getting lost, this poem is found.

For NaPoWriMo 2024, day 17.
Thanks, Mama Cass, for making your own kind of music!! Go here to hear her:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mraLsg-G4wA

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About lifelessons

My blog, which started out to be about overcoming grief, quickly grew into a blog about celebrating life. I post daily: poems, photographs, essays or stories. I've lived in countries all around the globe but have finally come to rest in Mexico, where I've lived since 2001. My books may be found on Amazon in Kindle and print format, my art in local Ajijic galleries. Hope to see you at my blog.

19 thoughts on ““Make Your Own Kind of Music” For NaPoWriMo 2024, Day 17”

    1. lifelessons's avatarlifelessons Post author

      It was. My next children’s book has a QR code on the front that links to one of these songs so kids can hear the book sung as they turn the pages. Hopefully it will be available within the month. I’ll let you know.

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    1. lifelessons's avatarlifelessons Post author

      It’s in my head, Elizabeth. I just let it out. My mom and I used to write funny rhymes together when I was young plus my folks both loved Dr. Seuss so all those rhythms and rhymes are a natural language to me.

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  5. kim881's avatarkim881

    I love Mama Cass, Judy, and I so enjoyed your poem! I love the gulls that

    ‘…reel in from near and far
    to add their screams to the refrain,
    then fan their wings, silent again’

    and these lines resonate with me:

    ‘Soon guitar and singer fade,
    their morning share of music made,
    and I fold my songs away.
    I’ll bring them out some other day.’

    Like

    Reply ↓

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