Monday, February 14, 2011

modern fugue





We sing plain American
and play, achingly similar,
in a flux of singing telegrams.

Through well-tempered episodes
and false entries, we build
like a Midwest summer
fever, an infection
of synonymous tumors, ripe
with tonic chords
Gershwin would admire.

The house water runs
warm and loud until everything
goes silent; but it’s never
entirely silent, to be murdered
by a song.



Tess Kincaid
February 2011



Would you like me to read it to you?




Painting by American artist George Tooker.

47 comments:

  1. Another wonderful poem, Tess, and I love the title. The George Tooker painting is perfect!

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  2. [in the beginning there was the music, the poem...]


    Wonderful moment, Tess


    Leonardo B.

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  3. Very very beautiful, Ms. Kincaid: Brava! xxxJenne'

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  4. A perfect moment in time you've painted with your words...bravo

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  5. "it's never entirely silent/to be murdered/by a song."

    Chills...
    Thank you.

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  6. This is another one, worth singing about, Tess.

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  7. You are so prolific, congrats!!!!

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  8. Are we ever to own a book of these jewels?

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  9. We sign plain American... what a fantastic opening and your closing to be murdered by a song. Wow what a deeply sensuous poem, it is filled with desires shared only by two.

    Love the painting. Having you given any thought to an anniversary edition of the Magpie? I think it would be really very cool.

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  10. Ken, yes! Finishing Line Press is publishing my very first chapbook. Pre-order details will be coming this spring, so stay tuned!

    Kristen, a Magpie anniversary edition would be wonderful. Any volunteers to tackle the project?

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  11. A very beautiful poem Tess ... it was lovely hearing you read it too!

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  12. This is so extremely good. A wonderfully complete expression of the music.

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  13. tess the words had me hovering inside the world of my own experiencing. americanized. the painting is very very good! steven

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  14. what a title!

    "we build like a Midwest summer fever"
    "ripe with tonic chords"

    just a wonderful piece Tess,
    thanks for sharing.

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  15. Tess, this is a fabulous poem, the last stanza, especially, intrigues, grips me:

    "The house water runs
    warm and loud until everything
    goes silent; but it’s never
    entirely silent, to be murdered
    by a song."

    Happy nearly "Love Day" (as some call it).

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  16. You have usurped Hallmark, lady,
    sitting placid in your warm manor,
    still staring at winter's bones
    ribbed naked against that steel blue
    Ohio sky. What a tribute to love and
    marriage and the mid-west. Like all
    others who gather in your cyber
    yard, I bow to the woman who sings
    with the seductive powers of a
    cirque, words becoming notes, notes
    becoming melodies; love rampant,
    running butt beautiful from your
    frozen garden to lion's footed great
    tub, as you steam the well water,
    and hug your man tight, warding off
    the wind and life's barbs.

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  17. This is beautiful and haunting, Tess. The near silence, the murderous songs, the ripening tonic chords ... all ring so true.

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  18. Tess,

    This reads strong.

    Some of the phrases are 'tastable':

    'plain American', 'achingly similar', 'flux of singing telegrams', 'Midwest summer fever', 'infection of synonymous tumors' -- have I repeated your whole poem yet??

    Nice, nice sounds!

    Trulyfool

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  19. I bid you good day, Ms. Willow (C.B.)

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  20. There is such a wonderful sense of rhythm in those lines : poetry and music merged together to perfection.

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  21. ". . . to be murdered by a song." Oh, how marvelous, Tess.

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  22. I love the painting and the poem, and all your older blogposts I've been catching up on!

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  23. Dear Tess: "To be murdered by a song"...beautiful and iconic! I was thinking how much music can make or break a romantic fuge...that's when I say "fudge". Here you've combined so many elements, history, musical allegory and that great painting by George Tooker who is also a Looker! The two become one, their face a heart. They look like twins! Each complement each other. And where the hand stays is so romantic I'm certainly swooning with this affuence of light touch a la tres sensitive poetTESS excitica!

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  24. The painting is sweet and simple yet so vibrant. Your poem pays tribute to the plains of the Midwest and good old American sounds.

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  25. Loved your post! So beautiful you left me in song....which I will take with me today.

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  26. I think this sometimes happens to me in dreams.

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  27. Exquisite.

    With so few words, you capture such a beautiful moment, create such emotion. That's the beauty of your writing - your ability to select a few elegant powerful words and put them together in a captivating way.

    My favorite...

    tonic chords
    Gershwin would admire.

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  28. intriguing poem. you read your poems so well, opening meanings through sounds.

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  29. another beautiful poem Tess... little touches of genius seem to expunge from your mouth... delightfully brilliant x

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  30. A fugue, indeed, bookended by carefully crafted lines. Nice!

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  31. The most romantic idea...killing me softly with his song.....

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  32. Wonderful Tess, beautiful!

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  33. Obliterated. And that's a good thing.

    Happy Valentine's Day!

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  34. Nothing like Love American Style -- the script handed down so heavily that its a wonder lovers can even breathe. The bookend at the far side of this poem is think is American Gothc, Ma and Pa grimly rooted in what the preacher called Love. - Brendan

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  35. We think only of Bach and Pachelbel when we think of fugues. How innovative to describe a modern, American (Midwest, even!) fugue.

    Hmmm...thanks for the ever present food for thought, Tess. Delicious!

    Happy Valentine's Day.

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  36. Wonderful words as always, and a sweet treat to hear you read them. On a side note, my cat is intrigued with your voice and climbed the desk to sit in front of the speaker as you spoke them. . .almost knocking my coffee over.
    Love the painting. What i like very much about it is the facial features of both subjects become one. The eys, her nose and their lips form one face. . .its a beautiful piece.
    Have a great day. . .
    btw, my B day was Feb, 1st as well.

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  37. Happy Belated Birthday, Gary! (I have a thing for Aquariuses. I knew I liked you.)

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  38. Not only do their features meld to form one face, their heads form a heart, as well. Brilliant piece by Tooker.

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  39. I love to hear you read your poems Tes - it makes them so much more relevant.

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  40. I loved your poem and thanks for the George Tooker. A truly marvelous painter.

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  41. Love the new header, the poem, that painting by George Tooker. Everything feels just gorgeous here.

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  42. Beautifully descriptive poem!

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  43. It is the combination of learning and nodding yes in perfect harmony that as a reader,
    I am continually enchanted by.

    You are different, and yet not .

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  44. oh, sublime, Tess! ... essentially Roberta Flack ... no?

    i very much like the movement in this and the unexpected symbols ... especially during the initial reading (you know that effect which can only occur the first time around).

    also, nicely paired with the Tooker.

    noxy.

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Inject a few raisins of conversation into the tasteless dough of existence.
― O. Henry (and me)