“no dress rehearsal”
It came as conversation
Pulling up a chair, side by side in the dark
A heart opened in anguishPoetry on another plain
A toasting with pride
Bodies swaying in unisonGot every bit of it
Pain was there
And ecstatic joy
Wrapped together in grit
A fight against the moment
A fight against the end
In silver shimmer and pink sparkle
There was connection
Long time coming
Long time held
United in a beat that raised the now
A nation in celebration
Yet shaken by a loss impending
Encore three shattered the ceiling
For we felt the wholeness of it all
And in the blue dimming light
We knew a raging soul
Had found some peace
As we ached, in feeling so much more.
Paula Antonello Moore, Prose. Copyright: Sunday, August 21, 2016.
Image: Gord Downie and The Tragically Hip by P. A. Moore.
The Canadian rock band The Tragically Hip concluded their 14-date Man, Machine, Poem summer tour with their final show in Their hometown broadcast across Canada August 20. It was truly a celebration of lead singer Gord Downie, who sadly was diagnosed earlier this summer with an inoperable brain tumor.
A beautiful tribute to one poet from another.
Thank you so much dear friend. Email soon. Wondering how u r.
Paula, this is so poignant! Wow. I love the last verse especially. Beautiful, heart breaking tribute to this talented man.
Thank you. I didn’t know you were a Hip fan.
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