Composition on a Napkin

Written on the back of a napkin while sitting in a coffee shop

Composition on a Napkin

 

 

They smile,

every man a melody,

another lead in the Grand Composition-

Each beat of a heart is another beat of the snare

Every passing set of headlights, another step in the walking groove that holds it all together

 

And every potential a stranger may ever reach,

Could go unnoticed by the man at the table next to him-

a hidden countermelody that sings just as sweet as the obvious solo

 

And on we play,

in spite of the postcard smiles and assumed appreciation of our audience.

 

For each of them are unknowing conductors,

soloists, percussionists

As much our evening entertainment as we are theirs.

Staring at a picture painted on a one- way mirror,

As we peer back through the glass on the other side.

Reviews

[Emily B]

aw, James, this is absolutely amazing stuff. Composition is such an apt word, describing the words and the music. It felt like a kaleidoscope of noises to me.

It's good to see you around the cafe again. School's about to start. . . how are things going? I need an update on the young Kentucky poet.

[An Ordinary Woman]

The fact that you write on the back of a napkin while sitting in a coffee shop makes me love your poetry even more. I haven't read you in a while, Actually, I had trouble finding you again. But I haven't forgotten your words.

It's good to meet up with you again. :)

[world war jessica <3]

and again jamie blows my mind. impressive way to end. really enjoyed. =] i've got absolutely nothing off to say about this. sets a good tone. blah blah you already know that though

[SM Davis]

I can see the smokey air, hear the snare of the drum...feel the ambiance. Very well written. Glad to see more of your writing being submitted. Keep up the good work!

[Don]

Hello James,
This is very interesting to say the least. I could envision a gentleman sitting at a little window seat writing a song on a napkin as passerby after passerby drives past his favorite little restaurant in car after car. I can relate to this on a personal note, as there have been times when I was blind sided by my muse and just had to write down the verses before they disappeared forever in the dark abyss betwixt my ears. I think the picture you painted with your words is awesome. Thank you for sharing this with us and keep up the great work.
Don

[PianoandPage]

being a musician i really connected with your consistant metaphor. i love how you describe (esp in the first stanza) the rythmns of life as percussion, solos, countermelody, etc etc.

the end line is a really cool way to see it. i often watch the world and get a sense of myself reflected back through their own composition of what they see which of course is simply themselves reflected off me... and so it goes.

it is an ever evolving orchestra is it not?

thanks for expanding my mind with this one. hah. i find that napkin poems are often the best ones.

also coincidentally my napkin poem also deals with music.

[Raef C. Boylan]

What a beautiful way to summarise the workings of humanity; we're a big band - maybe that's why we have so many differences and take so many drugs haha.
Really great analogy and use of language.
I liked the layout too - although I wonder whether some of the lowercase and uppercase letters at the beginnings of sentences are significant or typos [?]
Thanks to Emily Burns for sending me this read request. I enjoyed your poem. Great write.

[Just Manoosh]

On a napkin! the best inspiration comes beyond the four walls.

Reading this I feel like I am people watching, fabulous.

Mx

[The Tao of Bri]

All the world is astage as Will says and you just wrote a true and great play...one of authenticness not the masked peformance that others can give,,,great peice!

[Wildfleour]

We are just fish in a series of fishbowls! :)

[Vanessa]

I like the name, firstly. I can relate in moer ways than one when it comes to that. (Just yesterday I scrubbed off an entire leg of words.)
Anyhow, I enjoy the fact that you threw in some simplicity next to your words, the words that make a reader think for a moment as the words fall past sight.

All in all, this was lovely. Send me requests any time, for I adore your style of script.