Rockbird, Cool Cello

I was cruising through the kelp on Alex Shapiro's blogsite, and I came across one special day for her, October 17, 2007. She just had a CD release [perhaps NOTES FROM THE KELP], and she was readying herself for a whirlwind week of activity on both coasts. As a hopeless poet myself, I continue to find poetry in her prose. To my surprise and chagrin, I also found that I am only one of "many" poets who has flocked to the Shapiro bandwagon. I thought that by giving her the gift of my poetic meanderings, I was doing something unique. Now I feel like the high schooler that finally gets up the courage to ask the cheer leader out, and find out that she has had several other offers for Saturday. No, actually, I am excited to be a new Kelphisto, and I will continue to find the rythmns and rhyme within her musings and prose.

The following came off her site:

I have no idea what kind of music this is.

I’ll be off the rock and off-island, as it’s called here, for the next week as I do business in Los Angeles and New York. Between the CD release today, the various events I’m speaking at and two new commissions that just rolled in, it’s an active time. Never too active to blog, but despite having a laptop in tow on the trip, I never quite know whether the technology will cooperate. Meanwhile, I have the bloginatrix decency to leave you with this soothing image from the shore that laps near this house. I very much look forward to being home again amidst this calm next week.

I noticed that Billboard has listed my new album under the category of rock. And a radio show in the midwest aired a track from it on their jazz program. And tomorrow I’ll be live in L.A. on a classical show. Frankly, I’m delighted with the lack of clarity here, although a few people might be scratching their heads when they take the new pup out for a spin if they expect the disc to adhere to one of these genres for very long. Categorization is the antithesis of listening openly, and I’m so pleased that I’ve stumped the judges with a collection of pieces for small ensembles, which pretty much describes most rock bands, jazz combos and chamber ensembles I know. Rock on.

poeticjustice said,
October 30, 2007 @ 5:55 pm

Hi, Alex! It’s been a while since I’ve visited your site, and I can’t tell you how pleased I am to see your good fortune, as displayed on your main site! You’ve quite a number of successful endeavors worthy of the accolades being showered on you like confetti raining from the sky. Congratulations!

How wonderful it is that your work defies categorization! Being listed under a number of music genres can only guarantee more listeners and exposure. It also allows you a fair amount of experimentation, if you choose to do so. *smile*

Although your specialty is in music and mine is in words, I’d like to provide a link to your blog for my readers, if it’s alright with you. I’d like to leave you with another poem, as our love for the sea is mutual:

Felician Fingers Strum

I watch the night settle over me
with the gentleness of a sleeping baby
at its mother’s breast,
and wonder where you are
and wonder where you are..

Somewhere on the distant shore -
Felician fingers strum a melody
the waves seem to carry out to Sea,
and wonder where you are.

Don’t tell me you’ve never held the hand
of love - for just one moment -
as love has been your companion
for years untold,
and wonder where you are.

Felician fingers strum our song
of Love and simple Truth -
to ride the winds and search afar,
and wonder where you are -
and wonder where you are..

Copyright © Janet Leigh

Alex Shapiro said,
October 31, 2007 @ 1:03 am

Hi Janet, thanks so much for your gift of this poem! Lovely, lovely. And thanks for your supportive message! It’s been a fun and busy time.

Peace and magic to you,
Alex

[Of course I can't but wonder if this particular poet is "the" Janet Leigh, the actress, who might have been a neighbor of Alex's while she lived in Malibu?]

And now it is my pleasure to present to you, the throbbing masses, the "hidden" poem within this particular piece of Shapiro prose:

Rockbird, Cool Cello

I noticed
that Billboard
had listed my new album
under the catagory
of rock.

And a radio show
in the Midwest
aired a track
from it
on their jazz program.

And tomorrow
I will be live in L.A.
on a classical show.

Frankly,
I am delighted
with the lack of clarity
here.

Although a few people
might be scratching
their heads
when they take
the new pup
out for a spin,
if they expect
the disc to adhere
to one of these genres
for very long.

Categorization
is the antithesis
of listening
openly--
and I am so pleased
that I have stumped
the judges
with a collection of pieces
for small ensembles;
which pretty much describes
most rock bands,
jazz combos,
and chamber ensembles
I know.

Rock on.

Alex Shapiro October 2007

Rock on indeed, Ms. Shapiro, rock on indeed.

Glenn