Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Zelda and Ziegfeld





Zelda and Fitzgerald
Ziegfeld and Brice
Gershwin, Gatsby, the glam-
our day, New York's day of writers,singers, songs
that en-veloped a city's craze, its 
hidden spaces. When Millay
lived poetry
and Greenwich recited Millay,
that place, before the fall,
before the wall,
crumbled-
Know it?

When lights
took the town,
New York
surprised stood up tall,
glowing golden-green, its money,
it morals-
What morals? - None to be seen, and funny
girls reigned there too -
New York

Supreme - Jolson was the Jazz man
and Ol' Man River supplied
a feeling of an endless summer
flowing freely as wine, free as muse
could speak - whispering low -
speak it slow, speak it easy;
intertwining a bootlegged sound,
a bobbing, roaring laughter
roaring twenties
across town
New York

 As Art Deco fed on Nouveau
melting, morphing concrete curves straight
and empires built reached for the sky,
its limits, skirts shorten higher,
floors lengthened,
time buzzing, life flying,
flew by -
New York

No warning
the song, the writers just past
never meant for us to meet, never meant to last.
Leaving words, and rhythms, places, photos
without faces, where we stand -
In want of what won't come again, that
New York
to late, my friend
not here,
not soon, not twice,
that New York
not again,
not

This Side of Paradise ....

bkmackenzie
copyrighted 2010


“I don't want to live. I want to love first, and live incidentally.”
Zelda Fitzgerald

 Written for Letter "Z"  at Alphabe-thursday , click here for more "Z"

56 comments:

  1. Your words are true and sincere with a depth that caught me. Its a wonderful poem dude :)
    Keep writing!!!

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  2. oh, i feel such a sense of loss by the end and ong for that new york. been years since i went to new york. do wish to go back myself.

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  3. barbara,

    this is evocative and beautiful, and it certainly puts us in a place that "was" this side of paradise ....

    thank you for your words, always -- geoff and E

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  4. Really enjoyed the sounds and shape to this poem.

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  5. Geoff and E, Fitzgerald and This Side of Paradise will always make me think of you and E - It is a place I always picture you being...thank you for stopping in..bkm

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  6. Thanks Brian - I took a few hours to get this one right...that era of time- so many writers -the life style was so different...oh well, I am dreaming now...thank you again..bkm

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  7. This is a feast. One thing I love about old movies is getting to see New York, or Los Angeles, as they were decades ago.

    Your poem has the feel of traffic and trolleys starting, stopping, humming along...men with their overcoats over their arms, women clacking in heels and rummaging for something in a bag, hat securely pinned in place. I love it.

    From her quote, Zelda was a woman after my own heart.

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  8. PS--"girls reigned there, too" You know I'm loving that. As it should be, no doubt, as it should be! ;-)

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  9. Fireblossom.. thanks for your great words...Zelda was an amazing girl...I read her biography entiled "Zelda" -- she was a wonderful writer in her own right with a mind blowing personality...bkm

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  10. Wonderful -- I grew up in New York and you captured the essence of the city perfectly. I use to hear music in the streets from the sound of the trains to people buzzing about. Many practiced their dance routines under street lamps tapping to keep a beat along with groups gathering harmonizing and waiting to be discovered. Use to go to the village and into the cafe houses --listen to the likes of Dylan and poets, I could go on -- did some art work painting windows for stores and a some fashion design work and my former partner was in the camera man for NBC ... it was a great city to be part of that energy, however changing, that is its magic really never static always ready for the new wave of talent to come
    did I say I LOVED your poem -- well I do...
    Joanny

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  11. Thanks Joanny, Now I know where you get your wonderful sense of style and creativity...you grew up breathing it in until it became part of your being.....glad you Loved it...blessings..bkm

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  12. My goodness. What a wonderful link to Alphabe-Thursday's letter "Z".

    I think you need to send this to the New Yorker...although I've not been to that great city in some time, this certainly evoked the feeling and emotion I remember when I used to visit fairly often.

    Thank you for sharing your lovely creativity with us.

    You really add Zip and Zing to this meme.

    A+

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  13. Thanks Jenny, I have been waiting for "Z" - Zelda was the first word that popped into my thoughts when I knew "Z" was coming....Oh, to be published in the New Yorker --What a lovely Dream....bkm

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  14. What a wonderful capture of an era unlike any other! When reading your words, I was right where your poem meant to take its readers.

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  15. Very, very nice...edgy, evocative...wow! Peace

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  16. You captured the era very well. My great aunt was a Ziegfeld Girl.

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  17. Great z post. I do love the music from that time.

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  18. I like the Zelda Fitzgerald quote and this piece does feel like New York, I see images of sky scrapers and music when I read this

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  19. That was lovely. Too bad those days are gone. Everyone just seems to want their 15 minutes of fame. Oh well, I guess things change. Wonderful Z post.

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  20. I really enjoyed this. I love your word pictures.

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  21. really enjoyed your words, once again! I hope you link up again you are an inspiration.

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  22. Great Z post. I agree ~ send this in to the New Yorker. :-)

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  23. I enjoyed this immensely! You captured the sense of time and place, that frenetic energy oh so well. Beautifully written. Kat

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  24. Love this bkm!
    I am a new yorker and this is just wonderful!
    Pamela

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  25. i shared this with my mom who grew up in new york...it evoked so many memories for her

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  26. Thank you all for your compliments ...and for you New Yorkers...I am glad I did not disappoint..love this era..from 1910 -1950 an amazing time to have lived..though just living is amazing..isn't it...blessings to everyone for stopping in...bkm

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  27. Wow, that was really great. My parents were from New York and they loved talking about growing up there during the 40s.

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  28. I haven't been to NY in an eternity but I think you described the NY of old to a "T" - this was a terrific post that I MUST send to all my NY friends.

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  29. Love the poem (and quote from Goethe, a favourite of mine!).

    Super ‘Y’ post – pure delight!

    Have a great weekend,

    LOLA:)

    PS Mine this time is HERE. Hope you can join me!

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  30. PS Oops misspoke - meant your 'Z' post!(Been a long 26 weeks!)

    LOLA:)

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  31. Wow, that was good! I have always found that particular photo of Zelda to be amazingly contemporary. What a life she had!

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  32. Simply lovely! This is my first visit to your blog, and I'm captivated!

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  33. So sad, and so beautifully written!

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  34. I'm sorry to say I've never visited New York, but your poem made me want to...(And maybe, with a time machine!)

    =)

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  35. What a beautiful post. I haven't been to NY in years, but your words really evoked my idea of NY in my head...

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  36. That was a truly brilliant post best I have read yet

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  37. Thanks everyone... I am pleased to have met Miss Jenny...she is a taskmaster but a great inspiration....do love Zelda..thank goodness her name began with "Z"...bkm

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  38. Great poem! You have a way with words. Wonderful portrayal of New York during the roaring 20's - a period which I, too, find fascinating! Thanks for sharing.

    Thanks also for stopping by my blog and taking time to comment on my Zen Garden post. It's fun to *meet* interesting people through this meme.

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  39. excellent words,
    I have been in New York in 1996,
    busy place.
    but the theaters, the arts, and the spirits are upbeat.
    cheers!

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  40. Thanks Jingle and Sweetums..and if I missed anyone...it is fun meeting people with different interests at Miss Jenny's - there is so much to learn...blessings...bkm

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  41. I dream of a New York like you write of. Alas, cows, and Amish and cornfields are my surroundings. Thank you for taking me there!

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  42. I love this poem. Your words paint a passionate picture! Excellent.

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  43. wow you paint such an amazing picture ... with such beauty

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  44. What a beautiful, rhythmic poem. The pace was perfect, the feel exquisite. No, there will never be another time like that but your words brought the sights and sounds back for an encore.

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  45. Z
    a letter so far removed.......
    and here today, it becomes up close
    and personal.
    not to mention, poignant.

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  46. Hi, stumbled on this backtracking from your kind comments... never been to NY, don't know Zelda but recognise with sad nostalgia the transience of music an dance as performed in any great city in flux (unless recorded, most isn't, the best wasn't). Artfully crafted word pictures, hitting the spot like and inside joke!

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  47. Wonderful! I had heard of Zigfeld but not Zelda. Except my grandson and hubs is downstairs at this time possibly playing a video game called Zelda. Now why did I not think of that? Again great poem. Thanks for sharing.

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  48. Excellent Z post Zelda's quote at the end is wonderful.

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  49. This was a great post as I have learnt so many new things-thank you. I am now wishing I was on the next flight to New York though!!

    Best wishes,
    Natasha.

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  50. I sure enjoy reading your poetry...it makes me feel things and transports me....which is the point....

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  51. melting, morphing concrete curves straight

    I love the picture these words drew...

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  52. You took me down a meandering path to the glory days of New York. Beautifully done and I especially like this:

    When lights
    took the town,
    New York
    surprised stood up tall

    Somehow I wonder if you did not see all of these people and events while peering out from the the sacred windows of the grand old lady, Chelsea...This is exceptional!

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  53. ha i was the second comment on this before and even then i was pining to come again...tonight was amazing in the city...and met some awesome poets...

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  54. Not only do you descriptively refer to another New York world, but you recreate the glittering atmosphere with your banquet of images! Stunning!

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  55. What was literary/cultural New York isn't any more, except what's in our heads and hearts. Good poem, B.K.

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