The Eternal Now

Playing “That Happy Feeling” By Bert Kaempfert,
the violins playing lightning strikes at me in my
pirate clothes conducting the orchestra, wearing
a gangster’s cap when going out as only I can
hear the music to which I’m marching; this might
scare off all suspicion about my strange gait

Using a wide smile overly bright as a decoy to
force people to fixate on my face and thus ignore
the wide black pirate pants and flip-flops when
reserving a table for tomorrow’s dinner, back in
the office Saint-Saens comes to my aid playing
white froth and fishes flashing in slanted sunlight

But I long for a fairy tale to fill my heart – now
Nocturne 9 by Chopin slows alpha brainwaves
and slowly I catapult on the notes out of the office
into a scene straight from Nodame Cantabile - to
frolic amongst flowers and trees, Waltz in C-sharp
minor picks up the theme and autumn leaves 

Swirl around me as I twirl in roundabouts formed
by swirling notes which enclose my heart in tight
round bundles swerving the turns as the notes
starts galloping again, I’m in fairyland and not
likely to come back till the return to the starting
theme which tears at my feelings and pulls

Me back forcefully, deposited on the soft noises
in the open-plan office; I run back to Nocturne in
E-flat but it’s no use, the sadness is here to stay,
Bach’s Suite No.3 draws me further away - until 
auxiliary services rudely interrupt with questions
as to my ability to survive with just a fan

In temperatures of up to 31 degrees Celsius - of
course I can, misting the air with a spray nozzle;
the mood is spoiled and Mantovani sets in with
Blue Tango so I can dance again with Death and
Renate Flitworth at the Disc-World’s Harvesting
Party, after using our straight-bow arm position

We step high on La Cumparsita, never losing the
rhythm to end on a signature Swan Lake Waltz,
as Prima Ballerina I take the lead and magical
silver light accompanies my troupe as we dance
through the night, ending our dream on Liszt’s
Liebestraum No.3 circling all souls back to 

The here and now - where we’re supposed to be
according to Buddhist tradition, the Eternal Now
as Wen declared when he courted Lady Time…

HAPPINESS FILLING MY BEING 

Waddling outside like a duck, legs stiff
as sweet chocolate and oily crisps take
their revenge; bought a second striped
pink playsuit to keep in reserve for next
summer when the first one will be worn-
out; and a thin striped turquoise blouse

In the office I fight the noise with Ivan
Rebroff’song: Kosaken mussen reiten,
Mimi & Thokozile can sing as much as
they want but when I sing along with
Kosaken I’m told to keep quiet - this
is not fair; who can stay quiet when

The song goes like this: Drinnen gluht
der Samovar, Kosaken mussen reiten,
ihr ganzes Leben reiten - noch sneller
als der Wind - weil sie dazu geboren
sind - uns gehört das große weite 
Land – the beauty of these velvet

Men’s voices singing with Rebroff be-
gets such happiness filling my being!

[22 January 2015]

Kosaken müssen reiten

Music: Rudi Bauer
Lyrics: Fred Weyrich

Über uns ist es sternenklar,
drinnen glüht der Samowar,
aus der Ferne hört man das Signal
alle Herzen jubeln im Choral:

[Refrain]
Hey, Hey, Hey,
Kosaken müssen reiten,
ihr ganzes Leben reiten,
noch schneller als der Wind,
weil sie dazu - geboren sind !

Und wir jagen den Berg hinauf,
vor uns steigt der Nebel auf.
Und die Hufe schlagen in den Sand
uns gehört das große weite Land !

[Refrain]
Hey, Hey, Hey,
Kosaken müssen reiten,
ihr ganzes Leben reiten,
noch schneller als der Wind,
weil sie dazu - geboren sind !

Keiner fragt wo wir morgen sind,
wie der nächste Tag beginnt,
wo für uns die helle Sonne scheint
und das Heimweh ist der beste Freund !

[Refrain]
Hey, Hey, Hey,
Kosaken müssen reiten,
ihr ganzes Leben reiten,
noch schneller als der Wind,
weil sie dazu - geboren sind !