Let's Pretend It's April Again

[rayheinrich]

Just remember to remember the 5th of November.

And suddenly I'm remembering going to see the musical Fantasticks, many years ago, with my first true love.

"Try to remember" song from Fantasticks

Lyrics:

__Try to remember__

Try to remember the kind of September
When life was slow and oh, so mellow.
Try to remember the kind of September
When grass was green and grain was yellow.
Try to remember the kind of September
When you were a tender and callow fellow.
Try to remember, and if you remember,
Then follow.
Follow, follow, follow, follow, follow,
Follow, follow, follow, follow.

Try to remember when life was so tender
That no one wept except the willow.
Try to remember when life was so tender
That dreams were kept beside your pillow.
Try to remember when life was so tender
That love was an ember about to billow.
Try to remember, and if you remember,
Then follow.
Follow, follow, follow, follow, follow,
Follow, follow, follow, follow.
...

Deep in December, it's nice to remember,
Although you know the snow will follow.
Deep in December, it's nice to remember,
Without a hurt the heart is hollow.
Deep in December, it's nice to remember,
The fire of September that made us mellow.
Deep in December, our hearts should remember
And follow.

Music: Harvey Schmidt, Lyrics: Tom Jones

And here's Jerry Orbach (my very own personal musical star) singing it:
(The same Jerry Orbach who goes on to become Lenny Briscoe in Law & Order.)



Ah, The very essence of nostalgia: True love and the Fantasticks.

(Let's just edit out that our former highschool was still white only
and napalm was raining down on the children of Vietnam.)

---

Here's an assignment:

Take the title: Glenn Gould is Bobby Fischer


Take a day to gather whatever you can, your thoughts, research. Don't have to have anything to do with those two men. Whatever that title alone brings up, even if you don't know anything about these people. Don't do any research. The letters, sounds, any associations on any level, something altogether or seemingly altogether random.

Take a day to give a few minutes to the title, sleep on it. Wake up the next day and write it. Whatever comes out, comes out.

I had a friend who loved Glenn Gould and I remember listening to a recording she had of Gould
playing Bach (can't remember what) and was surprised when he started singing along with himself
as he played. I love that Australian guitarist John Williams and he does something similar when
he plays, only it's more intentional. I can't imagine Gould ever inhabiting Fischer. Both very
eccentric, but Fisher seemed possessed by malevolent spirits, whereas Gould possessed his
own obsessive self. I know poetry is supposed to be creative; but not only would it be hard for
me to figure out a Gould version of Fisher, I don't think I would want Fisher in my brain any
longer than he's already been in it. ... YouTube is awash with Gould - I find out after falling
down yet another rabbit hole. It was great watching him move his lips along with his
animated playing. Thanks for jarring my brain, it was great remembering Gould and my friend.

And, veering on, I can't imagine writing poetry without moving my lips; poetry probably
shouldn't be written down, only spoken.