\nEnormous, swirling loops of sound.
\nVery low key. Not for our ears.
\n
\nThe water churns against stone,
\nrocks move against rock. A potpourri
\nof vibrations–not concerned with the golden rules
\nof tonal phrasing–are echoed between mountains,
\nare bowled across oceans and penetrate tectonic plates.
\n
\nMale humpback whales, the \u2018inveterate composers\u2019
\nof songs ‘strikingly similar to human musical traditions\u2019.
\nThey sing only on calving grounds.
\nVery low key. Not for our ears.
\n
\nWe have organized sound and called it music.
\nMade it less daunting; \u2018civilized\u2019 what would otherwise
\noverwhelm. Millions of years of planetary vibrations
\ncorseted into meter and tempo, pitch, melody,
\nharmony\u2026 an attempt to control our apprehensions.
\n
\nStill, I turn my stereo to full volume. Vivaldi’s concerto
\nfor mandolin, strings and basso continuo
\nin C major will soon bring the neighbor
\nto my door complaining about that awful noise.
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\nBio:
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\nRose Mary Boehm <\/strong>is a German-born British national living and writing in Lima, Peru. Her poetry has been published widely in mostly US poetry reviews (online and print). She was twice nominated for a Pushcart. Her fourth poetry collection, THE RAIN GIRL, was published in 2020. Her fifth, DO OCEANS HAVE UNDERWATER BORDERS, has just been snapped up by Kelsay Books for publication May\/June 2022. Her website: https:\/\/www.rose-mary-boehm-poet.com\/<\/a>
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\nRobin Ouzman Hislop is Editor of Poetry Life and Times<\/a> at Artvilla.com <\/a>; You may visit Aquillrelle.com\/Author Robin Ouzman Hislop <\/a> about author & https:\/\/poetrylifeandtimes.com<\/a> See Robin performing his work Performance (University of Leeds)<\/a><\/p>\n
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