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On hearing buskers after a classical concert

by James Graham 

Posted: 29 December 2008
Word Count: 94


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On hearing buskers after a classical concert

The city was full of music too! Sibelius
had spoken, but this was streetwise. In the jaws
of Bradford and Bingley they jangled and sang.

This rough polyphony, how could it echo
in the spongey woods? The heels of the concert crowd,
where would they have gone among soft grassland?

But here they made applause. Praise stone and pavement,
be glad of this armour laid on the restless earth
and the fluid, crushable worm. We crossed over

and poured our coins, and they clicked in the banjo-box.






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Comments by other Members



Elsie at 19:58 on 29 December 2008  Report this post
Hello James, Happy New Year in advance. Lovely, atmospheric.) I love live, impromptu music.) I wonder if I'm missing a meaning of the spongey woods - whether that's the woods in the landscape, or something else?

V`yonne at 23:08 on 29 December 2008  Report this post
I liked the contrast of pavement to songey woodland where sound would sink in.
Praise stone and pavement,
be glad of this armour laid on the restless earth
and the fluid, crushable worm.

All hail, James for such excellent lines

Tina at 15:59 on 31 December 2008  Report this post
Hi James

I enjoyed this and could see and hear the scene - very atmospheric. I liked the idea of feet applauding - Happy New Year to you and yours

Tina

FelixBenson at 14:01 on 03 January 2009  Report this post
Hi James
What a joyful verse, and what a great image - of the buskers in the
In the jaws
of Bradford and Bingley


I really love the concept: that the music is rough and jangley (in comparison to the classical music) but that it worked because of the pavement, stone and heels of the concert goers, which it could echo off...the hard edges and the energy of the city made the music come alive, resound. Whereas in some pastoral scene, the music would have nothing to bounce off.

Great use of sounds and textures - the 'spongey woods' really works.
Kirsy


joanie at 13:29 on 04 January 2009  Report this post
Hi James. Sorry I'm coming late to this and deliberately not reading others' comments as I'm trying to catch up on commenting, as I've been away! I do like the images here and can picture beautifully
In the jaws
of Bradford and Bingley they jangled
I love the 'Bingley/jangled' sounds too.

The idea that this just wouldn't work if all were silent underfoot is an excellent one, I think. I like the 'armour' of the earth.

Very enjoyable!

joanie


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