Listening to: Hallelujah Chorus - The Oratorio Society Of New York

(No, not kidding. It was playing when I got the email.)

This weekend I attended the Remembrance Service of Miss Markie, who a few years ago went through gender reassignment and was then know as Lilian Grace Marlowe. During the service, her sister got up and read the suicide note Lily had sent her. In the eloquently written note is mentioned one of two songs specifically requested played at the service: “Vincent” by Don McLean. Lily told her sister that if she listens to “Vincent”, she could begin to understand what Lily went through in her half century on Earth.

This morning I got out of my hurried shower when my thoughts remind me to buy the two songs. At my computer naked, I purchase and download the two songs, sync my iPod and then quickly run to finish getting ready for work. Rushing between my bedroom and the bathroom a few minutes later, I stop when I hear a familiar series of piano chords thinking out loud that it simply can’t be “American Pie” playing.

It is.

I walk to my computer slowly as everything begins to feel eerie only to walk in the living room to Don singing, “Bye-bye, Miss American Pie”. Well, goodbye to you, too, Miss Lily. Thank you for the great times in those improv classes almost a decade ago. Thank you for your kind words and support at that Monkey show last summer. Thank you for your courage in realizing your own dreams. I simply wish the rest of the world could see beyond the flashy sensationalism of the human skin.

And, yes, I remember your signature color is indeed purple. I’ll see you out on the veranda later and we can catch up.

Listening to: All Apologies - Nirvana

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The other song played at the service was “Secret Gardens” by Judy Collins.

As mentioned Saturday, Andy is having a poetry contest which prompted me to find my book of poetry. I haven’t written anything other than “The Happy Pirate” since the 1990’s. All the early stuff is mostly high school-esque and about love and the guy I was dating at the time. Needless to say, I won’t be submitting any of them mostly due to the 30 20-line minimum Andy has set. The few that I still love are very short.

My love of music really shows in many of these rediscovered writings as I specifically wrote most of them to be put to music — end rhymes, specific rhythms. A couple I wrote for the dance genre. In 1998 I turned bitter. How do I know? I wrote a poem called “Hell”. I may share that later, but I find it has a lot of cliché images which I find funny now. The next year I think is when I decided to turn that bitterness into something positive by trying to make it funny. “Shallow” came out of me very quickly.

Eight years later I think it’s better than I remember. You can probably tell it was the end of my going out to the clubs. If it were made into a song it would need a chorus, but regardless it would have to be dance music to make it deliciously ironic. I even have a melody in my head for the verses. I wonder if James Roy would be interested in a collaboration. I interviewed him recently for Metromode and he’s a talented electronic musician. Ooo, James, can I do the vocals, too?

Anyway, here is my first attempt at comedic poetry:

SHALLOW

I’ve got my hair done right
To increase your appetite
I’ve got my teeth bleached white
To ensure you’re Mr. Trite

I’ve got my wardrobe set
To stack the odds on the bet
Got my shallow outset
So this time there’s no regret

I’ve thrown out my glasses
To knock you off your asses
I’ve fine tuned my passes
To please all of the masses

Got my high income job
To brag that I’m not a slob
And now I go hobnob
Just like a well-practiced snob

Gonna ride to the bar
In my new, expensive car
I’m the new social star
I’ll be worshiped from afar

Listening to: You Know The Rest - ‘Til Tuesday

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UPDATE: James Roy sent out a newsletter after I wrote this and has a promo going on. He also had a bunch of his equipment stolen unfortunately.

Tootsie Pops were mentioned yesterday, which, when I read the post, made me think of this jingle. It was stuck in my head all day Wednesday after reading John’s post like an artificially-flavored chocolate candy to the roof of the mouth. Here is my attempt to purge by passing on the earworm goodness to you. Enjoy!

Listening to: Suffer For Fashion - Of Montreal