Tag Archives: relief

The Undertone: terza rima

Underneath the skin, a single notion
supports how life unfolds from start to end.
Beneath the bustle of the world’s commotion,

it floats in just a whisper on the wind.
In quiet moments, it can be detected,
first here, then there, and then it’s gone again.

This song speaks to the lonely and infected,
the disenfranchised and the left behind.
To listen is feel far less neglected,

to find relief to ease a troubled mind;
and in the falling darkness, light a candle
that saves the world from stumbling on, blind.

If you sit still and listen, you will hear
a music that transcends both hate and fear.

02 JUN 2017

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Musicares and Musicrising

Don’t say there’s nothing good on television.

The other day I was watching TV and a commercial came on that featured U2‘s The Edge walking through the toxic streets of New Orleans, picking up broken guitars. It then showed him handing a new guitar to an elderly blues musician.

Turns out Edge is the spokesman for a Nashville-based organization called Music Rising, which is in turn a segment of the MusiCares foundation, a relief fund to assist musicians who have been affected by natural disasters, war, etc. Music Rising is an ambitious program to put instruments back into the hands of every New Orleans (or other Katrina-area) musician who lost everything in the hurricane. Without the music of New Orleans people, Edge so accurately puts it, there’s not much reason to rebuild, nor much really to do it with.

So I visited their website. What’s required to apply for aid is demonstrated work in the music industry for at least five years, and also proof of residence in the hurricane disaster area. So I applied. And guess what? At the end of next week using a special phone number, I am callling Musician’s Friend and placing an order for replacement instruments. Anything in stock at 25% off up to a specified limit (it’s the same for everybody).

Musicians from New Orleans, Pay Attention to This

If you haven’t already, and you qualify, sign up. I think time is running out, and they’re working on a first-come, first-served basis. I believe you’ll only have from the 16th to the 30th of this month to place your order, and it takes a couple of days for them to review your application in Nashville. So get on this, if you’re a musician from New Orleans that’s lost musical equipment. Believe me, this is a far better alternative than trying to justify buying a guitar before a new washer/dryer. And that FEMA/SBA money doesn’t cover luxury or specialty items anyway.

Happy Christmas, yes?

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An Assessment of the Situation

The telephone is ringing;
The assessor’s on the line.
He wants to avoid meeting us,
and asks us if that’s fine.

In essence, he wants us to lie
and say his job is done;
He’s three hours from New Orleans
and the drive in is not fun.

Of course, we need to meet him,
to settle our affairs;
some closure, so we can pretend our
mortgage holder cares.

Official now, the verdict:
what we had is wholly gone,
and if we’re lucky we may get
nothing to start upon

instead of owing thirty grand
for something we can’t use:
a toxic spot of swampland
and a use for rubber shoes.

The telephone’s stopped ringing;
all those promising some aid
are pondering our paperwork
in bureaucrat charade.

We found some friends who made it out,
like us, they’ve lost it all;
but now we’ve got each other
when there’s no one else to call.

Some said they’d help, and didn’t,
others took us by surprise;
you find out who your friends are
in such times, and realize

of course, there is some clarity
to be gained from all this:
the next time we’re on fire who we
can count on not to piss.

06 OCT 2005

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