Inspiration
Music inspires poets around the world! Why not let music inspire you today?
Because we’re nearing April 23, when many English Language Arts teachers celebrate Shakespeare’s birthday and because Spring often is the time of year when weddings are being planned, I’ve chosen the wedding march inspired by the Shakespearean classic, MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM. You may recognize it as Mendolsohn’s wedding march.
Process
Let’s see how this works:
- Think about a wedding you’ve attended, one you’ve read about, or seen in a film.
- Close your eyes and listen to Mendolsohn’s music for Midsummer Night’s Dream.
- What images appear? Positive, joyful ones? Sad, morbid ones? A combination?
- What words, phrases, images capture what you envision as you listen to this music?
- Draft a couple of stanzas evoked by this song.
As an alternative, play and write from other music that summons poetry from you. Perhaps the music is connected to a memory. Listening to music and capturing the images in words is an effective, even engaging prompt for students, too.
Anna’s Poem: “The Ballad of William and Ann”
Here’s a poem I wrote while teaching a lesson on patterning narratives. This ballad about a wedding reflects mixed emotions observed at a wedding and is modeling the classical anonymous ballad BARBARA ALLEN. Here’s link to PPT. “Pattern a Ballad”.
Oh, it was around Christmas time
When the marriage, it was planned.
The family and friends all came to see
Lord William wed Lady Ann.
The musicians were seated, all playing their songs
Awaiting the groom to appear.
And seated among the guests that day
Sat his former love, Lady Mear.
The minister signaled the groom to come out
To stand with best man at the right.
The minister motioned the guests to stand
As the bride marched in dressed in white.
Lady Mear, she stood with hankie in hand
Weeping for the man she had lost.
She’d been too proud to accept the ring
Lord William had gotten at cost.
The bride advanced at a stately pace
By her handsome groom to stand
Lady Mear, near the aisle, could be heard for a mile,
Shouting, “Hey, Lady Ann, that’s my man!”
Lord William’s response to the lady’s outburst,
“You had my heart in your hand.
You cast me aside. Yes, I did love you first,
But today, I’ll wed Lady Ann.”
So that day long ago about Christmas time,
The guests got more than was planned.
An old love turned mean in quite a wild scene
When Lord William wed Lady Ann.
—Anna J. Small Roseboro*
**Patterned after “Barbara Allen” Anonymous Poet
*Mrs. William G. Roseboro
Anna J. Small Roseboro, a National Board Certified Teacher is a published author and poet but is primarily an educator with over forty years’ experience teaching English and Speech to students in middle school, high school and college in public, private, and parochial schools in five states. A mentor for early career educators, Ms. Roseboro earned a B.A. in Speech Communications from Wayne State University and an M.A. in Curriculum Design from the University of California, San Diego. Her newest published work is a series of books published by Rowman and Littlefield designed for pre-service teachers and for those teaching middle school for the first time. See those three books GETTING STARTED (2018) MORE ABOUT WRITING (2019) EXPERIENCE POEMS AND PICTURES (2019) and NOT INTIMIDATING (2019) on her website http://teachingenglishlanguagearts.com/.
No attempt at rhyme today, but I did stick with the wedding theme! 🙂
Day One
Met on New Year’s
And the 11 year age difference
did not deter.
Shared ideals and big dreams;
Married 7 months later,
By choice
On a July day.
Father put a penny
In the bride’s shoe–
For luck.
One sister plays the piano
In an impossibly short dress.
The other stands
By her side.
Stifling heat,
Small town church,
No air conditioning.
The dress–powder blue,
A reflection of the times.
The vows–timeless.
A simple ceremony
Forged a bond eternal,
A backyard reception,
Shaded and perfect
Sealed by
friends and family.
Thirty-four years together
Began that way.
Gail, I love the simplicity of the feel of the wedding – surrounded by a small group of close people and saving the fanfare for the relationship and not the wedding event! The penny in the shor and the “impossibly short dress” draw the picture of a family’s love and individuality – honoring tradition here and with timeless vows!
The tone of mine is somber (sorry) but I am grateful for this prompt to help me process today.
May 1996–sepia skies for miles,
white chapel steeple kissing clouds.
Cornfields ‘n’ cows welcome urban guests.
“Do you promise to obey?” pastor states.
“I do,” she confirms
as city sisters’ eyes roll.
Such was the beginning of country living
for Brother.
Years brought acres,
land for a dream home.
Hands
framed floors and walls for gatherings,
anchored iron railings for protection,
laid granite for baking, breaking bread,
raised a deck for views of a life built together.
Years brought a brood.
Bodies
made lives, three–
human beings living the Word,
serving in sound:
drums beating time,
piano singing praise,
voices reciting verse.
Gracious partners
committed members–
Brother and Wife
before the pulpit,
in the choir,
on the sidelines,
giving credit to Him
with joy in their hearts,
for they’ve created
this life, these lives.
Life.
And today—clear skies for miles,
trees hugging the house they built with blossoms,
ponds and paths they nurtured welcoming urban guests.
“Do you want visitors?” Brother asks.
“I do,” she says
as sisters’ eyes meet in grief.
What will the years bring for Brother?
Sarah, this is somber, but I don’t know why. The images of the couple building a home and family together seem so positive, bright and solid, however, the opening and closing images of the sisters’ eyes meeting makes me wonder if that life was a mirage. That the sisters know something few observing the family understand. Thanks for making me think on a Saturday! 🙂 🙁
We say the words about living, honoring, and obeying, but the obeying part does cause consternation. When a marriage is strong and built on mutual respect, however, obeying seems to evolve into something else, so I get both the “city sisters’ eyes roll” and the “I do.” Am I right in thinking “Brother” is a pastor? The wife reminds me of the woman in Proverbs 31. Lately, I’ve been thinking about life and death after one’s partner dies. “What will the years bring for brother?” This poem is sad but also full of love and hope.
Oh, I appreciate your reading of this! My sister-in-law was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer in November. They started hospice yesterday, so the sisters (8 of us) are spending the day with my brother and his family today. I am learning so much about writing and reading poetry from our exchanges. You both offer insights that help me understand what I wrote and am feeling. Thank you.
I missed that reason why she would or would not want visitors. I’m so sorry, Sarah. I know she is comforted by those who love her!
Oh, no apologies, Kim. I am realizing, as we write these poems and have immediate responses, how my words — what I say, what I don’t — really impact meaning and interpretation. This experience is so fascinating. And, I think it was also on purpose because I wanted their life to be at the center of the poem and not the death. Much gratitude for your response, Kim.
Sarah, This poem is so full of emotion. You captured the couple’s love and their dreams and their struggles; such a beautiful way to honor the commitment to each other. Blessings on you and your family.
Thank you, Gail.
INCIDENTAL MUSIC, ACCIDENTAL POETRY
It was a dark and stormy… afternoon,
The sky was boiling, the wind blew fiercely,
The rain pocked churchy suits and frocks,
We scurried through the parking lot.
The venue? A spacious wedding hall,
With lovely patio and garden wall
For those all-important photographs
Which ceased at the first lightening flash.
BAM! The lights were next to go,
Then air conditioning and kitchen power.
“Don’t worry, darlin’”, said the preacher,
“This is Texas, we’ll just wait an hour.”
The bride and maids fled to the Ladies
While Dad and groom rounded up candles,
Which later set the best man’s tux on fire,
But that’s another story entire.
We finally squeezed into the chapel,
Vows were made and vows were muttered.
No a/c, ninety-five degrees,
Couldn’t hear a word? Didn’t matter.
Next day we learned the tornado warning
Went way past cold roast and warm beer,
The ultimate fate of the marriage, however?
Declared clear in less than a year.
Jackie, your vivid verbs and concrete nouns and clipped phrasing help recreate tension of this wedding day for us. Still, the closing lines puzzle me. Did the lights go out on the marriage, too?
I’m also puzzled by the fate of the marriage. Being from tornado alley (born in Joplin, Missouri) I see the storm imagery clearly and imagine the candles and sultry ness from no ac. Love the preacher’s “don’t worry darlin. This is Texas.” Really sets the scene.
So interesting how this ballad form make storytelling and story reading so intriguing. Moat of the time a reader does not have the luxury of asking questions of the poet-author.
Sorry for the confusing ending. I meant “clear” as in “over”. Any suggestions for a better word choice? I’m open!
An epiphany — I’m changing the third line set-up to “The ultimate fate of the marriage, as well?” The word “however” signals that the outcome of the marriage was somehow different than the turmoil which surrounded the wedding day. It wasn’t.
I love the give and take of this website. As a result, I’ve rewritten several lines and “twanged” it up to sound more like the wonderful cowboy poets and more like the locale of the wedding. I won’t repost here, but I’m happier with the new results. Thank you all for helping me rethink this effort. Now I’m finished mucking with it, looking forward to tomorrow’s prompt.
Jackie– Anna has just the prompt for you (and us all) tomorrow! Stay tuned. So appreciate all you “give” on this website!
“This is Texas. We’ll just wait an hour” puts us there. I’m sorry the wedding and the marriage were both such passing clouds, but there are brighter days ahead – – cold roast and warm beer…..I’m still tasting that…..great way to show that it wasn’t what the parties expected!
“Vegas Wedding Redo”
When two divorce, they say “we’re through”
Judge grants their last wedding wish
The knot untied, they say “screw you”
And celebrate being unhitched.
A life alone dating no one
She cruises the classifieds
Losers all, both big and small
She finds no mister “alrights.”
Then once upon a light June night
At a local country bar,
Iconic Green T, matchmaking scene
A man’s man on a stool sat tall.
They two-stepped across the floor till “last call” And sauntered to the door
A pickup his steed. Not a word did they need.
They knew what lay in store.
One date became two, three and four
Until with a Boy Scout’s oath
He swore allegiance upon his soul
Still she said “no, I’ll not travel that road.
Four seasons passed and time flew by
A year if you’re counting the days
A brother’s call, invitation parlay
“Come to Vegas, we’ll have a fun stay.”
Could this be their cue, a subtle clue?
Should they say a second “I do”?
Get married in the city of sin
Give marriage a roll of fate’s dice?
The time felt right to cast aside
Life’s doubts and cynical thoughts
Platinum bands, hand in hand
Second Wedding gamble they planned.
All played amid neon lights
From Tennessee, and show me state
Sons, cousins and siblings arrived
Even a cousin on Harley rode by.
Little White Chapel bells rang
And Elvis a witness costumed
There in short dress, her hair a fine mess
Vegas wedding delightfully festooned.
Decades have passed & still love lasts
As fresh as that sultry July day
When two divorcees stopped the delay
And down the aisle again sashayed.
You did! What music inspired you? Was it Elvis’ “Love Me Tender” or “I Can’t Help Falling in Love with You!” Doesn’t really matter. The story flows well and we can see, understand, and enjoy the journey.
I know the last few stanzas break down. Maybe I’ll revisit this later. I see where I messed up my punctuation. Should have proofread. Country music inspired me, Anna, but I didn’t really think about music much when writing. I thought about Vegas movies.
This ballad is moving and inspiring! I love the reference to Mr. Alright. How funny! My favorite part besides the lasting happiness is : “Platinum bands, hand in hand
Second Wedding gamble they planned.” The short a vowels sound beautiful! A second rodeo is indeed a gamble, but when it works – it works! Love the Tennessee country music.
Oh, Glenda! I loved every line of your wedding ballad. I so needed this today. Joy. Love. A happy ending. Thank you and congratulations to you and Green T.
I have enjoyed reading all the wedding poems–such stories to tell. I’m glad you took the leap and shared your story as well.
Anna, your ballad is fabulous. Is it about your wedding? Are you Lady Ann? How much fun was that day. Lady Mear is someone I feel sad for, but she should not make a scene at a wedding.
Anna, you’re killing me w/ these prompts. I don’t know if I can write a balled. ?♀️ I have a big spa day today: hair, pedi, and massage. I may not get to this one. It’s stressing me.
Okay. I’ll admit. This is not a first draft. The students and I worked on our narratives for several days. They asked the same questions when I read mine during Read Aloud time. (I’dm a NWP fellow and were are encouraged to write along with our students.)
I did get married in December, to a William Gerald, and there was “another woman”, but she wasn’t at the wedding. 🙂 The details are fictionalized to create suspense/drama.
You can do this one another day. Okay?
I wish there was a way to edit after posting! :-(. Should read…
I’m a (National Writing Project (NWP) fellow and we are ….
Maybe there is a lazy ballad form?
Anna,
Your poem! I’m so there at that wedding – – I’m ready to take down Lady Mear. I love the way William and Anne are Lord and Lady. Lady Anne realized that the love’s not in the ring “at cost” – – it’s in the heart, where there’s no pricetag. Thank God for the mistakes of Lady Mear.
Marriage of an Island Bride and a Funny Farm Groom
Happily Ever After came for her at 41
Matchmakers took what had for two folks come undone
Believed the perfect pairing that neither of them thought
Until a shattered window made clear what at first was not
A Gordon Lightfoot concert and a flattened trinket ring
Led to a proposal on a City Park swing
Two families both delighted at the coming wedding day
Plans took quirky twists and turns each step of the way
A mail-order wedding dress and gold spray-painted shoes
A sight-unseen wedding band gave juicy shocking news
“Lullaby” by Bond played as the bride strode down the aisle
White tulips standing straight at first, then kneeling afterwhile
Three preachers there to tie the knot with stories, vows, and prayer
Reminding all that love eases the burdens that we bear
Pronouncement, then a sudden change of script – surprise!
The ears could hear, but faces showed confusion in the eyes
Tradition thrown aside because it didn’t quite work for us –
We chose instead recessing to Handel’s Hallelujah Chorus!
Still Amen and Hallelujah strong
– Kim Johnson
This is so much fun and the details like “trinket wedding ring” and “mail order wedding dress” give such clear image of the wedding. The first line is such a fun setup, especially thinking about the bride’s age and the setup.
I’m so happy you wrote a fun ballad. It’s helping me think about how I want to approach this prompt.
“White tulips standing straight at first, then kneeling afterwhile…” That’s just perfect, Kim!!!
Kim, Your line “White tulips standing straight at first, then kneeling after while” is a clever way to suggest that the wedding ceremony may have been overlong.
The final lines “Still Amen and Hallelujah strong” using words frequently heard in Hebrew/Christian religious services suggest that though begun shakily the relationship stands firmly now. PTL!!!
The Hallelujah Chorus is a terrific recessional. What a fun and memorable moment. Your last line, “Still Amen and Hallelujah strong” is beautiful.