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Tuesday, April 23, 2013

The Voice


I first heard the Voice
as it transported
my mother out of her
unfulfilling, suburban agenda,
lifting her above
the detritus,
to dream the
impossible, often necessary
dreams
that true gifts
truly inspire.
For a glided season
he entertained the world,
smiling on cue,
pelvis swiveling,
hitting every note,
raking in riches,
his prodigious talent
the stuff of legends,
susceptible to
inevitable caricature.
As the love of the masses
waned,
he toiled on,
near obscurity,
to some,
an artistic pariah,
but the true believers
knew he was
biding his time.
Decades passed
and he outlived his critics,
naysayers silent
as he assumed the throne
with long-denied grace.
His crown
is now a shock of white,
and he possesses the wisdom
of a life lived hard,
sometimes even squandered,
and he rules
with the passion of David
and the wisdom of Solomon,
holding scales
balancing praise and blame.
If you came late
to his kingdom,
just bow your head


and join me
as I listen to him
preach and prophesy
from the tower of Song.


[Posted for #openlinknight at dversepoets.com - come along and surf a poetry wave!]

31 comments:

  1. ha he did come into his own eventually...def speaks to persistance and not giving up eh? cool song too...

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  2. Yes, if you've got a true gift never give up! I think the song was written by Leonard Cohen.

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  3. unfortunately the vid is not available in germany...copy rights...ugh... never heard of him...sounds def. like an interesting man

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    1. Oh, you must find him! He was a 60's pop star, a 70's Vegas lounge act, and in the past 15 years he's seen a rebirth as a master interpreter of songs! Long live Sir Tom!

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  4. oh, my mom had such a crush on him! a great poem for a great song.

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    1. Thank you - he's a hero of mine, so this is my tribute!

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  5. oh, my mom had such a crush on him! a great poem for a great song.

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  6. Oh Mr Sex Bomb, can't say I ever listened to him (i'm to young, my mother to old) ... but definitely heard of him. But I think I heard that he had gained a renewed career .. thank you for sharing,

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  7. Paying homage to a true legend. (Oh, you forgot to mention wearing his pants so tight they would split on stage!)

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  8. Wow, I remember him from his earlier hip-shaking days. Sad to see that he is now singing as he sits down...but he still has a beautiful voice. Yes, that IS a Leonard Cohen song.

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  9. Great poem, a beautiful tribute to a man who took his fan through a persistent journey.

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  10. sweet tribute! love how you took this from hearing it through your mom to the present day. rock on.

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  11. Anonymous4:56 PM

    This certainly got my attention. Tom Jones, the poet? Well, why not...a summing up...very different from the swivelling hipped sex icon of Vegas...Never took him seriously...but I'm hearing, I'm listening. Good write, Mosk!

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  12. Anonymous5:01 PM

    That's one of my favorite Leonard Cohen songs... it never ceases to move me. Seeing Leonard sing it live is still (years later) probably one of the most powerful moments of my life.

    That being said, this was a nice little tribute to Tom Jones... it's great how great artists inspire more art...

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  13. I loved the opening stanza—the description of how it transported your mother.... I imagine it must be nice to outlive the critics and the naysayers.

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  14. Anonymous5:34 PM

    What happened to my comment?

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  15. Don't see the video, so not sure who it is, but you capture for sure the comet's life of many lounge acts! At least we know, he didn't end up like Harry Angel. As always, your poetry rings solid like a truly tuned bell.

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  16. A sex symbol, a caricature, perhaps fallen from the "A List" for awhile. Irregardless, he has aged gracefully and still has that clear, strong voice. Enjoyed your tribute, and listening to this talented Welsh man sing!

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  17. I especially love "If you came late to his kingdom, just bow your head." Love it!

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  18. Consider linking this poem to Poets United Verse First today, where the prompt is "Voices."

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  19. Anonymous8:16 AM

    :-) I did not like him because my parents sang his songs. Now it is precisely the same thing that makes me fond of him.

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  20. I didn't foresee encountering this here. My uncle's name is also Tom Jones and he lives in Vegas. It's truly a small world! Thanks

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  21. As a poet, I can so relate... his determination is inspiring!

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  22. Anonymous2:21 PM

    His voice is so strong. This is a lovely tribute!

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  23. I'm reading on my ipad and there is no video link displayed, so I read the poem without knowing who you were writing about. I thought Tom Jones, but I thought that could be my bias (I love the distinctive sound of his voice), and so I was delighted to read the comments and see that indeed it is Tom Jones!

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  24. Love what you've written about Jones, and my oh my, thanks for sharing this clip....now my favorite Tom Jones piece.....

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  25. It's not unusual that this post would hit me like a thunderball. (I'm sorry, I have no shame.) This really is a lovely poem and a nice tribute to a performer with a lot of talent. Kiss! (still, so sorry)

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  26. Awesome. Gonna' play that video for the hubster. Both of us have had a new-found appreciation for TJ in the last couple of years. He's a classic.

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  27. A classic! Cool tribute Mosk!

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  28. Tom Jones!!! He was my mom's favorite, too! Well done.

    http://www.kimnelsonwrites.com/2013/04/25/silence/

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  29. Smiling at the suburban agenda. Can't see the video on my phone but will check it out later for sure!

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