Ballad for Bessie Smith

The winter I turned twenty-two

I was down as down could be,

Then I heard this sultry temptress.

Crooning soulful songs to me

Miss B. became my sweet soulmate,

I loved her from the start.

That sultry singing empress -

her songs, I learned by heart.

I sang the tunes and harmonized;

Played her blues both day and night.

I connected to the passion

that within her burned so bright.

As time went by, I learned to stop

and thank the stars on high,

To live and love, and let life flow;

Like my soulmate in the sky.

Jazz and blues vocalist Bessie Smith's powerful, soulful voice won her countless fans and earned her the title "Empress of the Blues." Born in Chattanooga, Tennessee on April 15, 1894, she began to sing at a young age and in 1923 signed a contract with Columbia Records. Soon she was among the highest-paid black performers of her time with hits like "Downhearted Blues." By the end of the 1920s, however, her popularity had lessened, though she continued to perform and made new recordings at the start of the Swing Era. Her comeback and life were cut short when she died on September 26, 1937, from injuries sustained in an automobile accident outside of Clarksdale, Mississippi.

Neptune's Tableau

Mighty god Neptune’s

erotic embrace

holds onto the coast;

his wild seductive

waves undulating

on frenzied shorelines.

Proudly welcoming local residents and visitors alike, a 34-foot, cast bronze Neptune statue stands at the gateway to Neptune Park and the threshold of the sea. Surrounded by the creatures of his realm, mighty trident in hand, Neptune's gaze rests affectionately on the shore. Paul DiPasquale was commissioned to create Neptune's statue. DiPasquale has created numerous permanent public installations, including the bronze statue of Arthur Ashe on Richmond's famous Monument Avenue. His work has been exhibited in the United States and Europe and he has earned recognition in major print and media for his insightful creations. He continues to live and work in Richmond, Virginia.

Purple Blossoms

Purple blossoms 

Under mystic azure sky

Nature defies death

Everything in nature is reborn within the circle of life. There is evidence of decay, destruction, and death; there are also examples of rejuvenation, restoration, and renewal. The never-ending cycle of birth, life, death and rebirth can put life and death into perspective and impart a sense of constancy after experiencing a life changing loss or a death. 

Infinite Nature

Infinite nature

Resonates with healing power

Become one with its force

When an individual loses contact with the light of their soul, when its embers are covered, almost extinguished, that person loses the opportunity for spiritual evolution. They remain imprisoned in their patterns of behavior, in their own ego or instinctual self. Life continues, but an essential ingredient that gives meaning is lost.  The best remedy for this is to go outside, somewhere where they can be quiet, alone with the heavens, nature, and God. Because only then does one heal and feel that all is as it should be.

Roman goddess Salus - Her origins disappear into the mists of antiquity, 

but she is the patron of health and healing,

Denial Tableau

Denial is a choice

End all of the lies 

Next take the steps to

Initiate clean

And sober living

Leave the pain behind

Denial is a core symptom of codependency and addiction. There is a distorted relationship to reality often acting against the individuals best interests. Addicts and codependents use denial to continue their addictive behavior. Meanwhile, they endure destructive consequences and painful relationships, partly due to denial and partly due to low self-esteem.

Tableau Poems

A  Tableau is a poetry form created by Emily Romano in October of 2008. It consists of one or more verses, each having six lines. Each line should have five syllables. There is no set rhyme scheme, although rhyme may be present. The title should contain the word tableau.

One Soft Kiss

One

soft kiss

on the lips ~

shared without

shame

James Dean kisses Marlon Brando - Through the Actors Studio, James Dean attended a class taught by Marlon Brandon. He stayed after the class to meet Brando, which lead to a sexual affair that lasted for several months and a friendship that lasted for Dean's life. Dean and Brando were not alone among prominent actors then known outside of Hollywood as entirely straight male icons.

Intimacy's Reverie

Final touches done to

last night's poem,

I watch as white starlight

fills the window and

the moon sheds its clothes.

Now, in dream's reverie,

you reach for me as

night's soft breath stirs.

Your face above mine,

we struggle for release.

I see shadows of dawn

slide from heaven's rim;

clouds, kissing and cuddling,

matching our concave -

convex harmonies.

Walking at dusk now,

a white winter's kiss

pressed on tender lips;

twilight's chill comes -

another log on the fire.

Our intimacy's seen

stripped naked.

I'm held spellbound

by this magic.

Love is friendship that has caught fire. It is quiet understanding, mutual confidence, sharing and forgiving. It is loyalty through good and bad times. It settles for less than perfection and makes allowances for human weaknesses.

Ray's Beautiful Dreams...

Life exists in fragments, and out of those fragments, our mind's eye constructs memories. What I offer here are dream fragments – descriptions that call up images of life, love and more. Please enjoy and pleasant dreams.