We who with songs beguile your pilgrimage / And swear that Beauty lives though lilies die, / We Poets of the proud old lineage / Who sing to find your hearts, we know not why ... (James Elroy Flecker)

22.9.23

The Track of Time


It goes staccato now –

when I bend to the past,

see the miles covered.

I’d like a softer flow,

lento or legato.



Prompted simultaneously by Friday Writings #95 at Poets and Storytellers United, where Rommy invites us to be inspired by the idea of losing track of time, and by Grace at dVerse introducing us to the Flamenca or Seguidilla Gitana form.






No photo description available.





47 comments:

  1. So much there - do memories even out and become soft flows, even if there was much dissonance while they were being made? I hope so... love how you've said it with the musical terms.

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  2. love the musical terms and 'the softer flow' yes I like that too :)

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  3. Oh Rosemary, I know what you mean! I too ‘like a softer flow, / lento or legato’.

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  4. Wow!! Such content in these few lines - your choice of words is outstanding! Not one word in excess and it resonates powerfully. I detect a longing and a sweet sadness in this... artistically placed. This really is an amazing Flamenca. Thank you for sharing such a beautiful piece of art!

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  5. Yes, time passes as quickly as dance steps. You capture that feeling well in your poem.

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  6. And you lose track of time. Even me.

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  7. Staccato can seem like a bit of a screech but only when we look back. :)

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  8. What a great get that time is more staccato now with its sharp changes. Love that!

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  9. Love the musical terms....I am clapping my hands con giusto:)....Rall

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  10. Love this! The 'music maker' in my soul responded in kind. Slow down, slow down.

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  11. I too like the softer flow now. The past always look so far from me. Thanks for joining in Rosemary. Have a good weekend.

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  12. I took piano at college, two semesters. But then, instead of private lessons like my teacher suggested I QUIT. Even though we have a piano for Mrs. Jim. We did a lot on the theory also, and even transposition which Mrs. Jim wasn't taught.
    But I've forgotten all I had learned way before now. I remember "staccato" meant go easy and shorter but wouldn't know what to do on the piano. And does fit growing aged.
    Anyway, we never said a word to the house cleaning lady, she even dropped our favorite picture, knocked it to a wooden floor and broke the glass but we fixed that. Can't replace the items in the poem, the glass marble may have come from Venice. Souvenirs, put a reference tape so you can remember their history in getting to you and your home.
    ..

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    1. I think of staccato as being very quick, but Google leads me to the musical definition: 'with each note sharply detached or separated from the others.' That doesn't fit the ageing thing quite so well; I meant to imply that, looking back, one realises how quickly time has passed.

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  13. I love this description of time as music!

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  14. A few lines that say so much ❤️ (AJ)

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  15. Time does fly, but memories allow us to linger :)

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  16. Time, poetry and music are so woven together, it's hard to see where one stops and the other begins. You captured the essence of this with your words today.

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  17. Love the musical language in this, Rosemary. I would love to see a softer flow.

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  18. This is an amazing piece ... so much said in so few words... Still pieces of art our life slides

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  19. "Staccato" works in the context of the flamenco beat, especially when "scherzo" doesn't fit the syllable count and "allegro" doesn't fit the meaning. Oh well...when we're doing what we want to do, time moves scherzo con brio, and when we're sitting around waiting on other people, it moves lentissimo. Thinking about this helps me cope with the fact that SepTEMber's almost over alREAdy!!! At least this year's not been spent watching the clock outside the operating room...

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  20. Fantastic flamenca. You brought the staccto to life
    Thanks for dropping by my blog

    Much🖤love

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  21. "Softer flow" is sure welcome
    If we could choose, we'd pick the same.

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    1. That phrase does seem to have appealed to everybody!

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  22. Gorgeous work on the form, Rosemary! ❤️ Sometimes a softer flow is all that we need ..

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  23. "I’d like a softer flow,"...Need of the time, may be. I'd like it too. Beautiful Rosemary.

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