does not require Beethoven’s breadth
of utterance, or Chopin’s
evenness of touch
it does not mean hearing
an eruption of Vivaldi's
autumn leaves,
or Blue Danubes
filling empty spaces
with echoes and runs
to poem this broad wood
is simply to watch my son’s hands
walking across a landscape of lost elephants,
until he too gets lost in the andante composition
of his own, private world
Author notes
andante = graceful, slow; walking
My youngest son is blessed with the gift of music, plays various instruments and has a natural feel for the piano. He always tells me that when he plays the piano, he is composing his own private world – and that he plays much better than his mother - which is true, lol. I have an old Broadwood piano, made in 1899 by Broadwood & Sons, London, the oldest piano company in the world. Both Chopin and Beethoven preferred to play Broadwood pianos. I've had many offers from collectors to sell my piano, but no amount of money can buy memories and a mother's joy.
A contest entry
- : Object-ify Me by AJ Morelli.
925 points, ended January 21, 2007, 17 entries
Silver trophy winner
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest - Simple Beauty by Danna Hobart.
300 points, ended October 14, 2007, 11 entries
Gold trophy winner
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest
Please tell me what you think
Comments
1 - 46 of 46
-
When we first met, it all started off with a piano conversation, remember?
I remember you telling me about your son! Beautiful write!
~Namita
-
-
Yes!! I remember.... you have a great memory, Namita. Thank you, dear
-
-
This really touched me. Maybe because I am a mother of boys. It kind of put a lump in my throat. Thank you for entering.
-
-
Thank you, I know what mean... I have two boys and one daughter...
-
-
This is an excellent poem and a definite pleasure to read. Your wording and imagery are both imaginative and appropriate to your theme, and I believe you should be in the running for another trophy.
Bill
-
It's so lovely, it's like candy! Expressive!
-
Wow!
Congrats on a well deserved award. This is immaculate, beyond my ability to critique, but to bask in it one more time...
Wonderful -
This is perfect! I am so happy that you placed with this beautiful poem.
-
wonderful entry and a very strong contender in the contest... it is such a touching piece Nicolette, thank you for entering it here...
al -
-
Thank you, Al...
-
-
I cannot tell you how much I love this poem. I cannot choose favorite lines and I cannot give a voice to the images I saw in my mind. One can see the knowledge and love of the classical masters as you give their music life, but most of all you take the piano and make it come alive with love and every day moments - just like they do when they are in a home where someone lovingly strokes the keys like your son does. Excellent piece Nicolette.
-
amazing, thats all i need to say...truly amazing!
-
An amazingly elegant poem that enriches and enlivens my senses with each reading, the wondrous image of player and instrument in the truest meaning of the word “concert.”
Blessings and best wishes, ~richard
-
-
And you placed a little piece of music here on this page too, Richard.. thank you so much
-
-
Wow, that is such an amazing poem. Your emotions and the gracefulness of your son is very much so evident in the word choice and the structure you use. It is very beautiful. Thank you for sharing!
-
Absolutely beautiful. My family are the new owners of a much newer piano and I only wish I could play the way you describe. I thought you expressed something as beautiful as the music of the piano so eloquently in words that it felt like I was right there listening to your son play.
Brilliant write.
-
-
Thank you for the kind comment...your name sounds like a song too!!
-
-
gold-
-
:)
wow. amazing poem, that being so personal, impacted me. is so great that you can see so much beauty in little things, like watching your son play the piano, I loved this poem so much, beautifully written. And I love what you son said about composing his own private world
"to poem this broad wood
is simply to watch my son�s hands
walking across a landscape of lost elephants,
until he too gets lost in the andante composition
of his own, private world"
-
an intimate moment, feeling, so personal as to almost identify it with your life, so warm as to almost identify it with your heart... i think i can kick out the "almost", can't i? . that landscape of lost elephants as powerful an image as any could ever create
-
-
Thank you, my friend... I showed this poem to him and he just smiled and said "mom...you and your poetry"!! But I know he likes it...
-
-
incredibly touching.........
'until he too gets lost in the andante composition
of his own private world' Oh my how many times do we as mothers look at our children grow.....create....explore...epxerience all that is around them ........us....and how that touches us as parents to be able to share this magical journey of a child with a child..........your words touch deeply for they are absolute truth when it comes to children....love the piece not only for its value as a stand alone art but because it is so very personally taken........thank you .........best, radical
-
Nicolette, what a lovely image in this poem. I have all the compositions you mention and I know the feeling of being lost in piano music. I wish I played as well as your sone and I applaud his art.
Wonderful objectification!
I can't stop smiling at these lines:
"is simply to watch my son’s hands
walking across a landscape of lost elephants,"
-
OOps, forgot the applause...trying to send them. Hope this works.
-
How beautiful this is Nic. I can feel the pride and love you have for your son and the beauty of his playing while reading this. I would never sell that piano either. My son taught himself the guitar and though I can't claim he is an excellent guitarist I can claim to love the music he plays with it.
Simply beautiful!
~Lyrical
-
I've always loved the sound of the piano...never had the opportunity to learn - except to play "chopsticks", lol...but you've captured a passion, both his, and yours as an exceptional poetess, and proud mother. Excellent!
Jersene
-
This is beautiful my friend...
I just can't say more than that...
-
Music...sigh...piano...sigh...your poetry....sigh...
(what's going with me this morning?)
Thank you Nicolette for another masterpiece from your pen.
Piano and flute and organs and violin...After Four seasons concert I went home like I was drunk...
an orcectra is already playing in my head while I am reading this nice composed verses. Bravo maestro. Your son must be proud with you and your poetry the same way you are proud with his playing.
~Sonja~
-
mozart in the making
how wonderful that your son plays Nic, i love listening to classical music especially when i'm writing because there are no lyrics to disrupt my train of thought.i hope he continues to take pleasure in piano.many young children have no want of music today except for what's playing on their their ipods..*hint hint*..LOL
~Helen
-
You have made an inantimate object, in this case, the piano, come to life with the touch of your sons hands. What a gift to possess. His as a musician and yours as a poetess. beautifully inspiring work ms nicolette!
-
"is simply to watch my son’s hands
walking across a landscape of lost elephants"
Sighhh...How elegantly you've penned this music, Nic...I always thought I wrote so much because I was a frustrated musician at heart...Your son cannot help but be gifted; look at his beautiful mother & consider the source...Don restored antiques, including several old pianos...I was always enchanted by their history & depth of tone...A gorgeous piece, my Sister...Good luck in Al's contest... Vlindertjie
-
True Poetry
"walking across a landscape of lost elephants"
I love that line.
My son plays guitar like that, he enters a world that I can only listen to, and wonder what color the sky is there.
This embodies the piano with the lives behind it. As usual you can not write anything that isn't beautiful.
-
This poem is nice and it feels so light. The background color definitely adds to it and it's good to see you write on orange rather than black this time
You have kept the music theme nicely throughout the poem. I think that, even if your son does play the piano better than you, you are definitely a master of words and that is your way to create your personal music. I simply love it. But you're probably tired of my saying that 
-
-
Noooo... how can I tire of you saying that
. Thank you, Diana for the compliments, my friend. I'm not done with black backgrounds yet, lol, but this colour fitted the theme better! ~
-
-
Nicolette . . . wonderful music and imagery in this poem. I am happy that you never sold that piano . . . it helped to be the stimuli for this beautiful piece and, as a lover of music, I have an appreciation for the historical singificance of musical instruments. Well done!!!!
-
-
Thank you, marc for the lovely comment - yes, one can't replace such an instrument - even (or rather especially) when it's a 108 years old. ~
-
-
what a wonderful gift music is, and you have given us the gift of your poem.
My son is a very good drummer, not that i considered that drumming was akin to real music when he was learning - the cacophony was deadly oh how i wished he would learn a real instrument lol!
this is a lovely poem indeed
elaine
-
-
LOL, my son used to play drums too, but the piano is much softer on the ear (as you would know), Elaine! Thanks, my friend ~
-
-
That is just the best feeling and this poem capture's it so well..as we are meant to write our own music and the sooner we start the easier it gets...I see my son as well in your lines as his fingers dance in a different line of poetry ...s0o beautiful...and so elegant...something he will treasure forever...his mom making love to his sound finding itself
-
-
Thanks, Rich - I know your son loves the piano too. I haven't showed my son this poem yet, but I know it will make him smile ~
-
-
I really enjoyed that poem and I hope your youngest keeps up his music and keeps bringing that old Broadwood to life for you
-
-
Thank you - I think he will!
-
-
This is something else we have in common...our young son's are both lost in the piano and gifted with music.
This poem is absolutely gorgeous. It is so refreshing to read and reminds me that there is hope in the world.
-
-
Thank you, Zayra - there is indeed hope when our sons live their talents out like this - and it does make a mother's heart smile! ~
-
-
i think what arnold is talking about, is the music that a perfomer has to discover (compose) that's beyond the ink and paper.
mine tells me that she's speaking to God but i think she has a pension for being colorful lol
nicely done
-
-
Jenn is a true violin performer - and hey dad, aren't all artists colourful, lol! Thank you, bb - I know you know your music beyond paper and ink too ~
-
Adding your comment:
1 - 46 of 46
