So we were talking about innovations, ways to bring poetry to people who don’t write it, who might not even like it. Fusing music and poetry together seems to be a rather good approach, and so I found this little collaboration that Brian and I did over a year and a half ago as a response to one of those fun YouTube tags. We have some other collaborations planned in the future that I hope you’ll like, but this was our first attempt, and it was totally impromptu. As a matter of fact I wasn’t sure what he was going to play, and when I asked him afterwards, “What was that? Was that Loreena McKennett?” He said, “No, I just made it up.” Isn’t he delightful?
The poem is by Jack Spicer, and it’s called “A Book of Music.”
David J. Bauman 
I must and must comment on this one!
You have such a presence to you, my goodness. The posture is linguistically delicious. Please never stop. I could hear you both for hours. Thank you – this made my evening hope again xo
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You just got me choked up there, m’ lady. Thank you so very much. We have some things already partially done, but I cannot wait to do another “live” recording like this with him again. He just matched that whole song to my reading as he made it up. And as for my presence? Shucks, I’ve noticed that I glow in his presence in a way that I never do in the videos I do alone. 🙂 Your comment cheered me tonight. Thank you, Mari
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Well keep at it. First post I saw tonight and totally cheered me as well. hugs to you both : )
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Sometimes I get so wrapped up in myself that I forget to comment on my favorite blogs. So, today, I’m learning to step away from my self-absorption and say “Wow!” I really liked that… the reading was very good, and the introduction just added to the whole thing. And the music — truly fantastic. The whole thing just Works!
Following your blog these past few months, and reading about your passion for poetry, as well as the discussions on poems being accessible, has inspired me to dust off some old poetry books, and try examining them with a new perspective.
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Ok, the second comment tonight to get me feeling all emotional. My. Heavy exhale.
Thank you, John. Aside from the compliments and comments you and others have made to me this week about my having done a good job as a father, well, this is just the best kind of comment I can read. These things mean a lot, because these are the things I love in life the most, and if I can do bring them to others in a way that they truly enjoy. Wow. What a great feeling. Thank you so much for saying this, John. It truly does mean a lot.
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Very Nice, I was going to comment about 15 min’s ago but got lost in your YouTube channel, of which I have great respect, wonderful stuff. I plan to pop back there later so I don’t hear them all all at once
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Thank you, Ian. There are some older videos there that make me squirm. And you’ll find some videos where trolls had clicked dislike as an apparent result of certain alliances and arguments, and also because, well trolls are trolls. 🙂 Thank you for giving the YouTube channel some attention! I really appreciate it.
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I smiled after watching this…very effortless, eloquent, and natural. I am thinking CNN or BBC America should have a program where intelligent people like you and some other amazing writers on here can read stuff…yea, I would watch that. Loved and enjoyed this…the music in the background was pleasing, a fine accompainment to the words…thanks for sharing
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What a lovely comment, B. Thank you so much. CNN or BBC? That would be amazing. I’ll make sure Brian sees these comments too. Thank you for commenting!
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There’s a flavor I can’t pinpoint but it is intoxicating~ Another wonderful and attracting post ~Sincerely Deb
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Thank you. I honestly think that he and I just have this spark when we work together. He inspires me to do poetry, and you can tell just listening to him has me glowing. 🙂
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Your and Brian’s talents are beautifully matched. Thank you for this beautiful, musical reading–as others have said, this makes me want a lot more like this!
Wait–Brian *improvised* that??
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Yep, Jennifer, he just made it up on the spot. I’ve heard him improvise once like that with another poet. It was one of our late night adventures, and we found a mural on the walls near an old coffee shop I used to go to in Williamsport, PA. Turns out the coffee shop was now and art studio, and though it was one thirty in the morning, the artist (who had been on his cell phone in the parking lot while we were looking at the wall mural) offered to show us around his studio. Brian spotted an ancient upright piano in the back in a dark corner, and as he always does (he gets like an excited kid) asked if he could play it. He did, and I swear he played that old abused thing into tune. The artist said he also was a poet, so while Brian recorded on his blackberry phone, I just stood back and watched the magic. It was amazing.
And thank you, Jen for the compliment. We have more planned in the near future. 🙂
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I love the energy, the humor and the daring in your blog. It really is terrific. I love the sense of adventure that you have in working with poetry and bringing it to people. This really is terrific. Keep it up!
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What an encouraging bit of encouragement, Jeremy! Thank you! I’ll do my best. 🙂
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How to introduce someone to poetry? Recite for them a poem about something they know, something big in their lives, something that moves them. Make it sound beautiful. Make it wistful, raising more questions than it answers.
Have a piano tinkling in the background…
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🙂 Thanks for commenting, Clare!
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