Out with the Tide

By Anthony Ward

So here I am, supine upon my penultimate bed
Contemplating the very things that cast my most sublime moments…
Listening to Coltrane play My Favourite Thing While my Lady Sleeps.
I couldn’t have lived without my music.
Providing my life with those quiet moments.
Feeling on top of the world with feet firmly on the ground,

As I listen to the sound…

Of Dave Brubeck Take Five on a Friday evening,

Ending on a high when the week’s all well and done.

Idling with the St Louis Blues on precipitating afternoons,

Still the defining song. Still everlasting…

The Train & the River by the Jimmy Giuffre Trio
Peace Piece by Bill Evans
La Vie En Rose by the great Satchmo when all my troubles are resolved, and I don’t have a care except for the world.
Spending time with Ella and Miss Day within the din of a bar,
Getting In the Mood to swing to Millers Tuxedo Junction
Creole Love Calling shades of Ellington in a Sentimental Mood
As the sun sets beneath the horizon bringing the turmoil of the day to a close.

As the sun drips from the upturned sea between the bugle of the first and last post.
Chilling out to Chopin’s crepuscular serenade- Nocturne in E minor, followed by the serene Berceuse.
Dying to hear Debussy’s Prelude a l Après Midi d’un Faune in the early morn,
After his first Arabesque and Claire de Lune,
Followed by Satie’ trios Gymnopedie’s and six Gnossienne’s,
Saint-Saens Aquarium before the moonlight of Beethoven’ fourteenth,
His sixth symphony in liberation, his seventh in contemplation, and his Ode to Joy in exasperation.
The ending of Schubert’s fifth remains uplifting,
As does Khachaturian’s Adagio from Spartacus,
That puts me at ease when there’s nothing left to do except…
Reminisce to the Andante of Gershwin’ Prelude No 2 and his Rhapsody in Blue,
Be enraptured by Ravels Piano Concerto in G.
Hear those opening notes of Grieg’s only and Tchaikovsky’s primary piano concertos,
As well as Rachmaninov’ Second precede the Lark Ascending from Vaughan Williams ode to contemplation at the close of an Easter’s evening.
Prompting me to meditate with Massenet and Parts Spiegel im Spiegel, played by the beautiful Benedetti,
The Prelude to act three of Verdi’s La Traviata and Liebestod from Wagner’s Tristan and Isolde,
Gorecki’s Symphony of Sorrowful Songs I find most uplifting.
Listening to the Bells on Sunday at quarter to six,
Reminds me of hearing echoes of the future pass me by, unaware of their significance.
Whilst I anticipate Sibelius’ At the Castle Gate on the first Sunday of the month, before I take to my bed.
Listening to the strains of Blind Willie Johnson’s Dark was the Night  I fade out with the tide.

Anthony chooses to write because he has no choice. He writes to get rid of himself and lay his thoughts to rest. He derives most of his inspiration from listening to Classical Music and Jazz since it is often the mood which invokes him. He has recently been published in Jerry Jazz Musician, The Academy of the Heart and Mind, Synchronized Chaos, Literary Yard, Oddball, Shot Glass Journal and Ariel Chart.