For Real Toads: dangerous

Poetry is a very dangerous word.

—Tom Waits

Marian’s musical prompt today for the writers’ group Imaginary Garden with Real Toads features the song All the World is Green by Academy Award-nominated singer/songwriter Tom Waits. His lyrics are wondrous.

Marian included the above quotation from Tom, and it reminded me of the times in my life when poetry had a death-grip on my mind.

*

poetry is dangerous

it takes you by the heart

and by the neck

it wakes you in the night

and keeps you up

it hits you at your job

so you can't work

it calls you on the road

so you can't drive

it haunts your every mood

and so you think

never

will you write it again

until the next time

and the next

and the next

© Kay L. Davies, 2012

With Real Toads, and Weekend Writers 50

I'm posting this song/poem for the writers' group Imaginary Garden with Real Toads and also for Weekend Writers' Retreat, hosted by Grandma's Goulash.
Marian's musical challenge on Real Toads featured a young (to me, but probably not to him) Canadian songwriter/singer Ron Sexsmith.

Canadian singer/songwriter
Ron Sexsmith

I listened to his song Strawberry Blonde and found it very moving and viscerally disturbing. I then read the lyrics from many of his other songs. Wikipedia states his genres as pop and folk, and, to me, each of his songs is a poem, enhanced, perhaps, by music, but art in its own right.
This led me to ponder the two (or are they one and the same?) processes: writing poetry and writing songs.
Despite being as close to tone deaf as humanly possible, I have, at times, attempted to write songs, and some very dear musicians have helped me turn my humming (a terrible thing to hear) into a tune. Needless to say, songwriting was never a career option for me. However, I thought I'd try, based on the prompt from Real Toads, to write a song.
My husband and I were shopping at the mall last night, so it should be no surprise to discover my "song" is seasonal. I decided to call it Song of the Season but that has already been used (surprise, surprise), so it is,  instead:
※
SEASONAL SONG
※

Kay Davies photo

the snow
and the blue sky
bring peace
to my hearthside
and love
of the season
brings joy
to my heart.
※
the chime
of the church bells
reminds
me of childhood,
the songs
which are ringing
bring joy
to my soul.
※
good friends,
bright faces, and
children
dressed warmly
remind
me of fam'ly
and joy
in my life.
※