drop of the needle
the world stopped
and was held captive
by the weird beauty
of the chugging backbeat
over which was the howl
heralding a welcome mutant
a new strain
"A-WOP-BOMP-A-LULA-A-WOP-BAM-BOOM!"
They had sent their leader
and he blazed a trail
with a wild bouffant
crazed eyes
and the scream
of a White woman in church.
He traveled
50 zillion light years
bringing this evangel
and a rollicking piano.
He invited us
on his spaceship
The Georgia Peach
and with every
involuntary jerk
of our bodies
we assented
"Yes, Little Richard,
take us with you."
(Ok, it's an old poem, but I wanted to play in this weeks #MeetingTheBar at http://dversepoets.com/ - go and prepare to be thrilled!)
I like the opening:
ReplyDelete"From the first
drop of the needle
the world stopped
and was held captive
by the weird beauty"
Thanks - he was the shot heard 'round the world.
DeleteI love it! What a humorous and true take on the prompt. I hear a little bit of Parliament in this idea that Little Richard was from another planet. But who am I to disagree? The way R&R has invaded out lives would certainly lead you to believe that it was an alien invasion of one kind or another. Great poem, very imaginative take on the prompt.
ReplyDeleteThanks Chaz, if R&R isn't from outer space, then what is?
Deletesmiles...very nice trib to him but also the ability for music to transport us elsewhere...and how the new and fresh also changes the face of the game...alien, strange, it changes....cool piece man...
ReplyDeleteThanks - I always think that the impulse to move to music is somehow connected to the divine.
DeleteHahaha, I knew he wasnt human!!! Lol
ReplyDeleteHe's superhuman! Thanks!
DeleteThis is great!
ReplyDeleteAnd this? "A-WOP-BOMP-A-LULA-A-WOP-BAM-BOOM!"
Perfectly spelled. I knew IMMEDIATELY how to sing it. :)
de
www.whimsygizmo.wordplress.com
Thanks de - I may not know when to use I and Me properly, but I do know how to spell important words.
Deletehaha...so very very cool - good stuff mosk.."A-WOP-BOMP-A-LULA-A-WOP-BAM-BOOM!"...loved it
ReplyDeleteThanks - yes, he transcends the language barrier.
DeleteFar freakin' out Mosk! What an excellent idea ... very cool take on this prompt ... I imagine the great Bradbury would be very amused.
ReplyDeletehttp://aleapingelephant.blogspot.ca/2012/06/honouring-dead-and-encounters.html
Thanks for thinking Bradbury would be amused.
Deletei agree to some rock and roll would seem alien back then...enjoyable poem!
ReplyDeleteThanks, and I think all rock and roll sounds alien... at first.
DeleteYou crack me up, Mosk!! I love your spin on the prompt, especially:
ReplyDeleteThey had sent their leader
and he blazed a trail
with a wild bouffant
crazed eyes
and the scream
of a White woman in church.
Thanks Laurie, the "White woman in church" is how Little Richard described his scream.
DeleteAn arresting opening, followed by:-
ReplyDeletethe chugging backbeat
over which was the howl
heralding a welcome mutant
a new strain
I very much enjoyed the laid back feel of it.
Thanks, yes, I defy anyone to listen to "Lucille" and not let the chugging back beat get to them!
DeleteHahaha.... I just knew the tune from the:
ReplyDelete"A-WOP-BOMP-A-LULA-A-WOP-BAM-BOOM"
This is right rollicking rip roaring TOOTIE FRUTIE of a read! Made me giggle out loud!
Thanks, a giggle's hard to force, so I know that's sincere.
DeleteI LOVE it!! *Singing along*
ReplyDeleteThanks, belt it out!
DeleteThis made me smile. :-)
ReplyDeleteThanks - and Little Richard is someone I've loved my whole life long.
DeleteThis girl can't help it...she's in love with Little Richard!
ReplyDeleteAin't this the best poetry:
DeleteWhen she walks by, the men folk get in close.
If she winks an eye, the bread slice turns to toast,
She's got a lot of what the call The Most!
She mesmerizes every mother's son!
if she smile the beefsteak become well done!
she make granpa feel like 21!
Absolute poetry, sez I!
Smiling so much right now... I guess I shoulda known he was too awesome to be human. ;)
ReplyDelete"with a wild bouffant
crazed eyes
and the scream
of a White woman in church."
...now, that's poetry!
I was raised with great respect for Little Richard... my dad (who's a songwriter/keyboardist) always says Little Richard was his biggest inspiration...
I've seen Little Richard twice and both times he gave out 4X6 photos of himself to everyone in the audience with the following message "God loves you, don't your ever forget that." To me, he's a funky angel. Anyone with that positive of a message I gotta love.
DeleteBesides, who can argue with rock and roll?