Monday Morning Musings:
“Falling slowly, sing your melody
I’ll sing it loud”
From “Falling Slowly,” Once,
Music and lyrics by Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová
Once. . . I woke in darkness. Then the sun rose golden through rose-tinged clouds. The air was cool but clear. The world shifted and tilted. Dreams rose from the misted woods.
morning moon whispered
softly, praise touched red-gold leaves
geese honked overhead

If you look carefully, there’s the morning moon.
chevron rises up
earth cycles, river to land,
the tide ebbs and flows
We take a train into the city. We walk over sun-bright cobblestones, passing tourists who stroll and chat in a variety of languages. We wait on corners as wide city buses try to turn onto narrow streets. We enter a theater. Seats surround a center stage area covered with Oriental rugs. Musicians are playing Irish songs of the past and present. I bop in my seat to “Brown Eyed Girl” and tap my feet to a jig. Last call for the bar. The lights go down, and magic begins.
man meets a woman
music flows, drifts from their souls,
they’re falling slowly
together in tune
Dublin days strummed in rhythm–
piano echoes
musicians rebound
music from aisles and walkways
crowd smiles and applauds
We walk and talk. Watch the lowering sun shine through cloud-dappled sky. Red bricks glow. In Washington Square, a young girl whispers her secrets to a tree. Does it answer?
music of nature
city sounds form the chorus
we dine al fresco
Again. . .
We dine al fresco
wine and pizza in sunshine
a dog rests in joy
Nightfall comes too soon,
moon rises to hum goodnight—
cats slumber and dream
Once. . .September was full of rain. The world was full of anger and sorrow and lies. But once, September ended in a perfect weekend of sunny days and cooler nights–falling slowly into October.
We saw the musical Once at the Arden Theatre Company in Philadelphia. It was a performance full of warmth and spirit, wonderfully staged. Here they are rehearsing “Falling Slowly.
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