"There is Music" and "Where I'm From"

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There Is Music

There is food

           There is water

                   There is air

                           There is music

I heard a tune

In the wind-chime

Familiar, yet elusive

If only I'd had my guitar

Perhaps I could have 

Snatched that phrase

And stretched it

Polished it

Riffed it

Smoothed it

Drawn it out

And searched its meaning

The energized mockingbird

Couldn't seem 

To get locked in

So it kept on singing

And riffing

And mocking

And teasing

Almost there

Not quite right

Another direction

A different idea

An exercise in theme and variation

Here’s a personal variation on George Ella Lyon’s 

“Where I’m From”

I am from Ruck and Jack and a house full of playmates

From backyard games and kick-the-can nights

I am from too hot sand and too cold Lake Michigan water

That greeted you like an old friend, but would kill you if you weren’t careful

I am from beach bonfires and smoke in my eyes

From silly birthday songs and Billy Krump’s candle

I’m from Saturday morning cartoons and merciless teasing

From sitting on warm floor vents on cold winter days

I’m from penny candy and walking home from school

And the too fast cars going down 57th Avenue

I am from Maysack’s Woods and thirsty mosquitos

From hand-me-downs and help-me-ups

I am from show tunes played on the hi-fi

From Zero Mostel and Carol Channing

I am from giant pots of spaghetti 

And hot watermelon afternoons

I am from hippies and peace signs

And “Hell no we won’t go!”

From the Chicago Democratic convention 

And black and white TV

I am from neckties and daily mass

From asphalt playgrounds and confession

I am from altar boys and CYO band

From Biddy Basketball and Kadar’s driveway

I am from Michigan City summers and 

Wearing nothing but shorts all day

From sunburned shoulders and peeling noses

From fishbones in my feet and treehouses

I am from dune grass and blinding sunsets

From giggling bedtimes and “hush up in there”

From trains in the distance 

From drive-in movies 

From moonlight on my blanket

I am from a mess of brothers and sisters 

Best friends

I am from love