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Sunday, September 11, 2011

Fast Day 223 September 10 2011 {A Man From New Orleans...}



A Man From New Orleans Playing Music
At The Detroit Ball Park, September 10, 2011

To Thy mansions in the sky…
that raise me up from poverty,
blessed music give me wings
and the longitude of kings,
for that is where my soul shall fly!

I played the cornet-à-piston
from the birth bed and to the tomb:
my sacred language… and profane!...
oppress my music to your shame!
these harps, these pipes of doom and bloom!

They hear flash mob ragtime and jazz;
drowned neighborhoods, dope fiend, and brass;
Sweet Jesus, in dressed-up ease
sets down notes, for when He frees
us poor – the mighty to surpass!

--
notes

cornet-à-piston  = original French name of the trumpet, the "pistons" are the valves the musician fingers.
New Orleans, past and present, music for cradle to the grave.

The Tigers were playing the Twins, and they won in the 9th.
There were many homeless outside on the streets, which is an odd sight in a Christian nation.

--

2 comments:

Ruth said...

Beautiful.

A horn's pistons! I love them.

And this rolls that way too.

Montag said...

Thank you, Ruth.