i can’t listen to Andrew Lloyd Weber
without remembering her passion
for that dark music she played
over & over on vinyl
until like those ripples on the soundtrack
the needle smoothed over, a stone
skipped across dark water
in sound grooved to permanence
in that portion of mind
that lays down sound memory
aligned with faces in chemical threads
if she had lived past 30
perhaps some other music
would float her face into vision
but I am left with this–
conversations with my sister
at the kitchen table, making dinner
or potting plants, our voices punctuated
by a madman’s love song
***For Dverse, where we are toying with memories and missing.
Susan Daniels Poetry 
wow great feel of rememberance in this one…love hte use of the music…always carries memories for me…all the more though since you used the record…fav part though..a stone
skipped across dark water
in sound grooved to permanence…very cool line…
Thanks Brian–yes–we can’t use MP3 files in images like this one 😉
Glad you liked.
Susan, so true that sometimes music takes us back to those times when we were listening to it in the past. I know it does me, and sometimes I have tears of joy as I listen and sometimes tears of sadness. And yes, Andrew Lloyd Weber music REALLY gets into me too.
Mary, thank you. My sister loved “Phantom of the Opera” so much I cannot hear one piece from that musical without thinking of her. She made it so very much hers.
Nicely written, gives a real sense of missing experiences together.
Oh, thanks so much!
This really touches my heart, Susan. I can see the memories are still vivid, and that’s a gift.
Laurie, thank you. Hard to believe it has been almost 18 years.
oh susan, such a moving write…so sorry that you lost her so early and how special this music is for you now… music has the power to take us without a detour right into the heart of a specific time or emotion
Claudia–thank you, and I do agree–sound memory is for me perhaps as equally intense as scent memory–both so much deeper than visual memories–if that makes any sense.
wanted to write…i can imagine how special this music is for you…
It is special, and thanks so much for commenting, Claudia.
Susan – the power of music! There are songs I still can’t listen to without missing someone, sometimes in tears. Andrew Lloyd Webber is powerful music, to couple it with a memory of such loss is operatic in emotion. You words are so well crafted. My heart aches for you.
Shanys, thank you. Cannot believe what listening to that music this morning brought out of me still.
Yes mine was Roberta Flack, Killing me softly with his song’ for a love unspoken except with eyes. Long forgotten by them and 40 years ago but the song still brings back their face
Yes–amazing how sound does that.
So powerful. So important. And music is a great conduit to go back to those places we miss so badly. And this is pure poetry, honest and emotional. Fantastic….this is why we write…
Stu, thank you so much. Your prompt brought this out.
I remember earlier poems about your sister. I get spooked by memories of music from the past. Seems mad to think that someone didn’t get a chance to imprint other songs with you, especially a family member.
Oh, there are other imprints, but this is the one that got me today.
A song, or, just a few bars of music can transport us right back in time to when and where it first became embedded in our minds. I’m sure every time you hear Andrew Lloyd Webber’s music your sister is right ‘there’
So sad to lose her at such a young age. I loved the imagery of the old vinyl records and the ‘needle’ (stylus) too.
Very poignant, but very lovely poem Susan.
Bren, thank you. There was a romanticism to the vinyl records I miss.
how very touching, Susan. deep, sad, somewhat dark… and very lovely. great work.
Thanks so much, Miriam.
I adore his music, its powerful and speaks to me as well ~
Lovely memories of your dear sister, how those times go quickly ~ Thanks for the share ~
Thank you, Grace!
These lines blew my mind way…
the needle smoothed over, a stone
skipped across dark water
in sound grooved to permanence
in that portion of mind
wow!!! Your poetry has a refreshing and eloquent read to it. I am very pleased to be part of your readers. 🙂 You make the world a better place. 🙂
Oh, Charlie, thank you! Really appreciate you saying that…
You are so very welcome. 🙂
So lovely. It’s that thing of music forever taking us back to the person who loved it like a time machine.
Yes, that is exactly it!
Nice poem. I just can’t listen to Andrew Lloyd Webber – period. Hahaha. 🙂
My sister, bless her, had atrocious taste in music. She moved from playing Barry Manilow at full volume over and over to Phantom. Of the two–ALW is marginally better, I think, if you have to listen to something over and over. Was kind of like waterboarding, but for the ears.
ROTF LMAO!!!!!!! “waterboarding for the ears” is just too damn funny!!!!!!!!!. Thanks for making me “bust a gut” tonight. 😉
Glad to, Terry. Keep music from those two in mind, if you ever need to torture anyone. 😀
The dichotomy of loss is that our memories both hurt and help, because they keep them alive. Beautiful words Susan – fitting tribute. Hugs from me.
Oh, thank you Mike–that is quite true, what you’ve said– hugs back & glad this said something to you.
Sometimes one’s love for one thing or the other can be an obsession difficult to explain. But it’s good as one can reflect back and realized how much it fulfilled a need. This is relevant in many instances, Susan! Nicely!
Hank
thank you, Hank!
Moving poem, music is so powerful, the only real time machine in someways.
Thank you, Cat. Have to agree–it does powerfully move us to memories.
Awful sadness expressed so clearly through the music, the skipping vinyl (lovely metaphor there), the shared kitchen and the madman … so sad Susan … good capture.
Polly, thanks. Was tough to write this one.
Great storytelling. Nice thread all around. Nice images and feeling of remembrace.
oh, thanks so much!
Powerful stuff. Music is a true time machine.
It is–thank you!
The reminisces are beautifully expressed. Feels good to be back here. Keep writing such beautiful poems, Susan! 🙂
Thank you, Vaishali.
i do like how this ended
Thank you!
Okay, this shivered my body a bit. *hugs*
Thanks, Nelle–appreciate that. Good thing I don’t listen to ALW by choice 😉
How you must love her! How so much you must be missing her. Great poem conveying an even greater emotion – the permanence of love!
Thank you, Noel. I do miss my sister, but know she is where she needs to be… Appreciate the comment very much.