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Sunday Songs: Pentecost 11

Give Us the Wings of Faith to Rise

“For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country.” (Hebrews 11:16)

Give Us the Wings of Faith to Rise (mp3)
GIve Us the Wings of Faith to Rise (pdf)

Phoenix

I feel the weight of your arm,

resting on my belly.

You are sound asleep.

Your breath comes in and goes

out

Like the ocean

Like laundry in a washing

machine.

You are my phoenix, waiting to

be reborn—

My sleeping dragon,

And I

Am your pile of ashes,

Your hoard of gold.

..

..

–from Keeping Records, © 2007 by Colette Mazunik.  ISBN: 978-0-557-21108-1

Until 8/15/2010, you can receive 15% off this title at Lulu with coupon code BEACHREAD305.

Ephemera

On Friday 23 July, I attended a peformance of Christian Marclay’s “Ephemera” at the Whitney Museum. “Ephemera” consists of fragments from Marclay’s collection of clippings, candy wrappers, ads, and sundry disposable printed items decorated with musical notes, assembled into a score that can be organized and interpreted using one or more instruments. John Zorn and company played a crisp 30-minute set as they translated this graphic score into sound.

To the ensemble’s left, a long wall of the gallery had been converted into a floor-to-ceiling chalkboard with musical staves, on which the public was invited to scribble away – you can get an impression of it here.  This visual accompaniment served as an apt counterpoint to the improvised utterances of the performers. Amidst the spiky experimentation, though, moments of gentle lyricism and transparent fragility emerged.  Sylvie Courvoisier’s mastery of the piano (both inside it’s belly and on the keyboard) was especially apparent throughout this set.  And I swear I heard Mr. Zorn quote the melody to “Silent Night.”

For more photos from this festival, check out the Flickr group the Whitney set up.  Below is video of the performance courtesy of The Awl:

“Ephemera” at the Whitney Museum, posted with vodpod

The Marclay Festival is up until September 26 – if you’re in the greater New York area, I recommend checking it out.  (PS when you go, work your way back to the chill lounge room– complete with white sofas & carpeting– for a Christian Marclay listening session.)

Sunday Songs: Pentecost 10

Scanned by Simon Cooke

Jesus, Priceless Treasure

“For what hath man of all his labour, and of the vexation of his heart…” (Ecclesiastes 2:22)

With all due respect to Herr Johann Sebastian, here is this week’s submission in the Sunday Song series:

Jesus Priceless Treasure (mp3)
Jesus Priceless Treasure (pdf)

Monthly Monologues: July

Female Monologue from Two Thumbs Up

“Don’t you walk out on me!  I just proposed to you.. . . .”

Female Monologue from Two Thumbs Up

Two Thumbs Up full text

Coke-commercial man

He had

The elegance

Of self-rolled cigarettes

The skin-thin paper

Twisted at the end

Played the guitar—

Of course

Played in a sort of off-hand way

Casual

So casual

Ah, he was my Coke-commercial man

Selling music on the road

Road tripping America

On weed and wheels

Windows open

Sweating in the dusty wind

Blue cotton collared shirt

Flapping

White clouds

Cigarettes

Blue sun

Sky

..

..

–from Keeping Records, © 2007 by Colette Mazunik.  ISBN: 978-0-557-21108-1

Until 8/15/2010, you can receive 15% off this title at Lulu with coupon code BEACHREAD305.

Tumbleweed

i.

Dusty traveler

Blown in with the spring air

Through open windows

..

My heart embraces only those

Who leave

..

ii.

My tumbleweed—

For a moment

You’re blown back home

I wash your dusty feet

Memorizing calluses

And we split a pint of Rocky Road

Talk of nothing

Listening to the sound of our voices

mixing with the radio

..

I remember watching you fall

onto the bed, asleep.

And then there are only

The sounds of morning,

Wrinkled sheets,

And the left-behind smell of your shampoo

..

..

–from Keeping Records, © 2007 by Colette Mazunik.  ISBN: 978-0-557-21108-1

Until 8/15/2010, you can receive 15% off this title at Lulu with coupon code BEACHREAD305.

Flowers came

Flowers came

Today.

..

They weren’t

From you.

..

I spent my evening

Crushing petals

Gradually.

..

..

–from Keeping Records, © 2007 by Colette Mazunik.  ISBN: 978-0-557-21108-1

Until 8/15/2010, you can receive 15% off this title at Lulu with coupon code BEACHREAD305.

Artichoke Hearts

I eat artichoke hearts

And think of you

Bite cleanly through the marinated flesh

Light olive green

And layered

Like the little nesting Russian dolls

That swallow their younger siblings

Doll in doll in doll

..

I bite

and slowly chew

Imagine it’s your heart

I’m growing fat on

You

I’m nesting inside me

Brooding over you

Until you hatch

..

And I imagine you

Sending me

Not roses but

These green vegetables.

..

–from Keeping Records, © 2007 by Colette Mazunik.  ISBN: 978-0-557-21108-1

Until 8/15/2010, you can receive 15% off this title at Lulu with coupon code BEACHREAD305.