Freedom in Sixty-Four Bars

5:30AM wake up, shower,
coffee, buttered toast, and
So What flowing from the radio

its call and response,
like smoke, coaxes me softly
to some other kind of consciousness

a strange feeling settles
at two minutes thirty-three,
reality? It’s just some charlatan

“you’ve been a harlot, son.”
the notes say, “You’ve sold your best years for a song.”

By three minutes twenty-six
Mr. Davis had me transfixed,
I was living 2/7ths of a life

struggling through the mires
of a Monday to Friday strife
for such a small slice

but who am I to whine?
it’s taken quite a long time but…so what?
I’ve found freedom in sixty-four bars.

~Eric Vance Walton~

Song Bird

Your voice
Casts a certain
Enchantment
Blowing
Into the corners
Of our minds
Like an
Indelible wisp

It’s a
Song that
Sparks a
silly grin
Casting out
Our blues
And making
Us, if only for a
Moment, forget
The weary miles
Walked in
Our shoes,
Life Is new

It’s true
As long
As we
Carry your
Sweet song
In our hearts
The world is
A finer place,
bone china
And delicate lace,
cups always
brimming
With the
Rarest tea.

Leave us lifted
With each note
to savor,
Every phrase
Is a savior
That will whisk
Mundane
Worries away.

~Eric Vance Walton~

This poem is dedicated to Stacey Kent and Jim Tomlinson.