T.O.A.S.T.: Tuneful Old-Age Senior Tales

Come and read, take a chance, reminiscing on my past
music and dance, two sonnets on it, slow and fast,
fast tempo a brain energizer, adagio my favorite tranquilizer
they explain themselves, each a great internal analyzer.
Dedicated to Deacon John Moore, my brother-in-law,
a New Orleans Creole musician in the Louisiana Music
Hall of Fame; and Anna Glushko, Russian ballet dancer
and teacher in Saipan, CNMI. Both are alive and well.
John is 80 still performing at Jazz Fest and giving em hell!
 
My Dancing Days are Almost Gone
“A man may put pretense away who leans upon a stick, may sing, and sing until he drops.”
—W.B. Yeats, 1933
 
Let me whisper into your hearing aid
my dancing days are almost gone
thousands of hours I’ve danced and played
sometimes literally from dusk till dawn.
I swear at my bad knees, try to keep them moving
no matter the pain, no matter how bad the hurt
to Klezmer, Zydeco, Norteño I keep on grooving
at home, on beaches, roads made of coral and dirt.
I thought about it all last night and all day long
“I don’t wanna hang up my rock and roll shoes”
give up dancing or stop when a boogie beat song
comes along, waltz with the wind, bop till I drop
With two wooden legs I can still dance the Twist
just say, “Get up and boogie! ” I just can’t resist.
 
Midsummer Night Rococo Remembering
“Rhythm and harmony find their way into the inward places of the soul.”
—Plato, Greek philosopher (427-347 BC)
 
No more peace, I heard the cell phone’s obnoxious ring
bringing me back from a midsummer night’s dream
when I was about to hear Cecilia Bartoli do her thing
way up in operatic heaven no need for online meme
a cello soars and music pours back inside my head
Jordi Savall saws away on some ancient Celtic tune
I wonder where this cool summer nights yarn has led
under the Milky Way with a lovely crescent moon
heavenly song is free streaming radio glissando
destroyed by sadistic static and heavy traffic noise
all chopped up by some radio waves commando
for a small baroque chamber ensemble I would rejoice
to hear a viola da gamba or 18th century harpsichord
or a Thomas Tallis composition echo word for word.

Joey ‘Pepe Batbon’ Connolly (Special to the Saipan Tribune)
Joey aka Pepe Batbon is a retired educator who taught in the CNMI, NOLA, and LVNV. He is a sonnet practitioner who enjoys stargazing.