Here he is, in his internet debut. For the record, all errors are Dad's fault. Never was one much for rehearsal. So pay attention to Riley: he really, really wants to go electric, and the deal is he has to get great at the guitar first. Might need to start saving sooner than we thought.
Dig the tongue thing. Reminds me of Steve.
There's more, but it keeps high-centering the platform, so we'll have to break it up. Just have to wait, I guess. So solly.
(And we should include a special shout-out to our very good friend Allie, who started this whole ball rolling many years ago with the generous gift of two children's guitars to our boys, before she had her own kids to spoil. You still rock, Al. Don't stop.)
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Jean Leon Gerome, 1879
or, Travels With My Giddy Aunt, wherein the authors discuss their adventures, misadventures, shocks, surprises, disappointments, hopes, dreams, nightmares, complexes, successes, environs, travels, gaffes, faux-pas, and hairstyles for the benefit and pleasure of loved ones near and far, and for voyeuristic strangers that make them slightly nervous.
The Call to Prayer
Jean Leon Gerome, 1879
Call To Prayer (Adhan)
Lente, lente currite noctis equii: (Allahu ackbar!)*
Given its head, the night runs faster than a man can breathe
Its nostrils pant, its dusky edges heave,
And I am pulled from sleep too soon:
The yellow tones of morning and the morning song
Too early crowed, but not in the cock’s throat.
The call to prayer comes early:
“Our alarm clock,” quipped a friend,
Indicating the humble mosque at his front door.
We have one, too. We all do in this garden city,
This oasis overrun but not yet ruined,
And the mosque, with its staggered chorus
Of muezzin, fairly owns us, night and day:
There’s hardly time to leave off praying my litany of regrets
From a day spent seeking more help than I had given
Before I’m called back to my knees.
I do not join the sweated worship of the immigrants,
But I think of prayer far more here than ever before,
For God is great indeed, and it is better to pray than sleep,
Even if all one does is pray to sleep a little more
Before the panting night is stabled, brushed, and fed,
And the mu'adhdhin clears his rooster throat.
Its nostrils pant, its dusky edges heave,
And I am pulled from sleep too soon:
The yellow tones of morning and the morning song
Too early crowed, but not in the cock’s throat.
The call to prayer comes early:
“Our alarm clock,” quipped a friend,
Indicating the humble mosque at his front door.
We have one, too. We all do in this garden city,
This oasis overrun but not yet ruined,
And the mosque, with its staggered chorus
Of muezzin, fairly owns us, night and day:
There’s hardly time to leave off praying my litany of regrets
From a day spent seeking more help than I had given
Before I’m called back to my knees.
I do not join the sweated worship of the immigrants,
But I think of prayer far more here than ever before,
For God is great indeed, and it is better to pray than sleep,
Even if all one does is pray to sleep a little more
Before the panting night is stabled, brushed, and fed,
And the mu'adhdhin clears his rooster throat.
Copyright JaPes, 2007
*"Lente, . . . ": "Slowly, run slowly, ye horses of night!" (from Christopher Marlowe's Tragicall Historie of Doctor Faustus); "Allahu ackbar!": "God is great!" (An arresting exclamation these days, but like U2 and that song Charles Manson stole from the Beatles: "we're stealin' it back!").
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8 comments:
Holy! That was so great! Riley, I am so impressed...I tried the guitar once...it is much harder than it looks. Oh, and very nice, as always, Jon. How convinient to have someone to accompany you right in your very own family. :)
Wow! Riley! That was awesome. Keep it up. Next time your back here with us you'll be able to jam with with Darren, Jess and Chris! You're great! Jon, wonderful singing, as always. Is Chris still playing the piano? Now you just need Jo on the drums and you've got your bases covered. Family Band!
That was great! You are both very talented. And, guess what? We happen to have an electric guitar (with case) we'll sell for cheap. It's a blue Gio Ibanez. Let me know if you're interested.
Wow - we are totally impressed! Riley you rock, dude!! Brody says you are #1!!! Miss you lots and seeing this makes us miss you more!!
Way to go Riley!!!! That's quite the performance. good for you. What a musical family we have between us all. Love you and miss you. Grandma P.
wow ... impressive riley. a great way to pick up the ladies;) someday...not now! got it?
and jon. it's been too long since i've heard your voice. that sounded a little weird, but you know what i mean.
sounds great Riley!
For what my advice is worth, I asked for an electric for Christmas years ago, and it collects dust in some forgotten corner of my parents house. My acoustic, however, gets played very regularly, and you can always compromise by installing an electric kit on your acoustic so that you can amplify it. Or you can just get an electric. Just make the stipulation that Riley be able to play this song, first:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=0GjQlALrtjg
-Darren
When Eric and I watched this, it reminded us of the good old days when we could here Jon singing Italian opera at his house when we were in ours....not that this sounds like Italian opera - just made us think of it...so forget the poem - we are looking for some Italian opera dedicated to the good old days!!!!
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