Thursday, October 15, 2009

From Primo's Place Upriver By Janie Bell Burton


“Seeing those old pics and hearing Beth's name made me think of when I was housesitting their place, and a poem written there, yes thirty years ago. went scouring through the archives and found it. So different than the Point.” (janie Bell Burton)


From primo's place upriver


Awakening to sounds of a fiesta in a mountain pueblo

Ay..ay..ay no mistake- voices abounding in zest

a singing Latin love

zinging

men flinging dark senoritas round and round

sparking eyes as she tries to capture his gaze

rapture in the crowd, feet pounding ever-quickening time


Ay...Chingada and a throaty spit

I sit up in my bed,mind floating from the dancing square

Staring; in a trance- realising I’m at home

oo-oo the Spanish love songs

only on the radio of a passer-by

Only a passer-by?

walking on the path and bringing me other worlds

Now shrills and trills of child’s delight

And to recognize a laugh

no disguising that half-man’s voice,

rejoicing in the still morning

adorning the trail with joy.

A boy whistling,keeping pace with his mule

A woman boldly singing

I peep through the trees to see

but no face for this pure song; loud and proud

As she strides along,with a panting dog

Who won’t admit to last night’s cacaphony

As if daylight acquits him of his crime.

Who’s the next star vocalist?

With background harmonies from the Chicken Sisters

and their Crooning Rooster-

it’s grand to see this concert’s free

Wait.

Majesty