Sep 11, 2014

POETRY FRIDAY: It's National Piano Month!

Thanks to RenĂ©e at No Water River for hosting Poetry Friday today!
 
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Recently I learned that September is National Piano Month. Who knew?
Image courtesy of www.cartooncottage.com
 
The piano is one of my favorite musical instruments. I began taking piano lessons at age four and continued through high school. Now my boys both take lessons and practice daily on the same piano I learned to play on. Currently, I am working on a piece as part of a character study I am doing for a middle grade work-in-progress, so between my practicing and my boys’ daily sessions, piano music is often ringing through our house. It is wonderful!

When I discovered that we are in the middle of National Piano Month, naturally I had to see if I could dig up some piano poetry. I was thrilled to find the following poem by D.H. Lawrence, a beautiful piece that focuses on a favorite childhood memory of the narrator:

Piano
by D. H. Lawrence (1885-1930)

Softly, in the dusk, a woman is singing to me;
Taking me back down the vista of years, till I see
A child sitting under the piano, in the boom of the tingling strings
And pressing the small, poised feet of a mother who smiles as she sings.


In spite of myself, the insidious mastery of song
Betrays me back, till the heart of me weeps to belong
To the old Sunday evenings at home, with winter outside
And hymns in the cosy parlour, the tinkling piano our guide.


So now it is vain for the singer to burst into clamour
With the great black piano appassionato. The glamour
Of childish days is upon me, my manhood is cast
Down in the flood of remembrance, I weep like a child for the past.


And to balance out the serious with some fun, here is a fabulous poem by poet Ken Nesbitt called “My Puppy Plays Piano.” I can’t wait to share this one with my boys—our dog Gracie is always underfoot while they practice!

My Puppy Plays Piano
by Ken Nesbitt

My puppy plays piano.
It's the strangest thing to see.
It seems, while I was practicing,
he learned by watching me.

To read the rest of this poem, click here.

I hope you enjoyed these two wonderful—but very different—poems featuring pianos! Happy National Piano Month, and Happy Writing!

25 comments:

  1. Becky, how fun for your home to be filled with the sounds of your boys' playing. My kitties always join in on the fun when I play ... I tell you, it's a magnet.

    And DHL -- what pathos in that poem! You just want to hug the man.

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    1. Your kitties sound so cute! I think animals definitely enjoy music, too!

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  2. Delightful, Becky! I so wish I had learned to play the piano, but alas, I haven't a musical bone in my body. LOL I think my dog is more musical than I. On that "note", I love Ken Nesbitt's poem - "catchy 'Pet Rock' sound" indeed! = )

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  3. I was searching for a musical poem this week, but I couldn't find one that suited my thinking. Thank you for sharing these, and giving us a peek into your musical household. Good luck with your work-in-progress!

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  4. Yikes - is that the same D.H. Lawrence that wrote Women in Love? He certainly put on a different hat for that one!

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    1. Now I am going to go have to read this book, Julie!

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  5. How delightful! I didn't know it was National Piano Month, but I have a piano poem today, too. :)

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  6. My mother played piano at our church. She tried to teach me a few times, but I was too much of a brat. True story. =( I wish I'd paid more attention now! The piano is a beautiful instrument.

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    1. I am glad I learned to play, but it was often a struggle for me to sit still and practice. I am not the best sight reader in the world, and that is probably why...

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  7. What a great thing to play an instrument :) The poems are fantastic :)

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  8. I love imagining you and your boys taking turns filling your house with music!

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    1. Some days it sounds better than others! We just found out that one of my boys will be playing in the tuba in band--I can't wait to hear that music!!

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  9. Wow! Piano poems - that is great! I took piano lessons as an adult. I wasn't getting very accomplished. Maybe if I'd struggled through it for a few more years. I might not have stayed married for lo these 42 years though. Best I gave it up. Maybe I'll try writing a piano poem instead!

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    1. That is a great idea, Donna! I need to try a piano poem, too.

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  10. Pianos were part of my childhood too. The poems are great.

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  11. Hi Becky! Having music in the house is such a treat, isn't it? I hunted up one of my favorite piano poems to share with you: http://tabathayeatts.blogspot.com/2012/03/still-whole.html

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    1. Thank you so much for posting this link, Tabatha! I loved the poem!

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  12. Oh these poems make me wish I still had a piano around my house. I was never any good, but I sure had a lot of fun.

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  13. I was reminded of the movie "The Pianist" - love the poem you shared here. Used to play as a child - I wish I paid more attention to my lessons now. :)

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