MUSIC: Alegria at the Bat

ALEGRIA* AT THE BAT

  

The outlook was quite brilliant for the eastside trio that day.

The stage stood clear before them with but one more group to play.
And when the audience applauded--and the trio did the same--
It was time for them to cozy up and get into the game.

The trio walked onto the stage, they knew they had the stuff.
They also knew the music here could really be quite tough.
But they had worked note by note, and phrase by phrase therein
To give that piece a special flavor, a very special spin.

The coaches all had worked them hard, but in the final say
They hinted that, yes indeed, the group could really play.
However, they did warn them all to frisk around, not fret.
To playfully enjoy the piece and get the tempo set.

The trio members sat in their places, they were ready for the match.
They smiled at one another, a victory they could hatch.
A hundred eyes were on them, it was time to get a-goin'. 
To get each part together, to start the piece a-flowin'.

But then the violist's shoulder rest fell off onto the floor.
She quickly put it on again, but should have fixed it more.
The violist was a-squirming to get into the groove,
To get the "rest" to fit just right as they began to move.
The piece began quite quickly, a little too fast they tell.
And soon the trio, all of them, were flying like bats from hell.

There were other kinds of rests that also popped up here.
They were unintended “pauses"--their bodies were gripped in fear.
They could not seem to function well, so silence seemed the best,
While the violist still was trying to fix her shoulder rest.

And when they finally got together, the coda was coming ‘round,
They tore into it with a vengeance for the final sound.
They were a trio so intent to come back swinging too
For they did not want it to be said it was their Waterloo.

In hindsight, the trio knows just where to place the fault,
For all week long they had to give up every chocolate malt.
It was carrots, celery, some juice too, but not a shake in sight.
No wonder then that they were weak, their brains a tad bit light.

And worse than that, they could not bring any liquor to their room,
No smoking or carousing either; they did doth feel the doom
of having to be healthy.  Oh my!  How can that really be? 
They longed to see their soap operas, to turn on a TV! 

The trio wanted to be rid of healthy, well-meaning thugs
Who wouldn’t let them take their own performance enhancing drugs.
So now you know the reason why, instead of smiling, they pout
For they all knew the reason why their team had just struck out. 

    *An adult group performing at a holistic site that believed in health foods & all

            things bright and beautiful of which they, the performers, were not.

                                                 (Beth Good - 2005)

COMMUNITY: Love Exploding

LOVE EXPLODING

 

The beautiful part of life is that

it really is so wonderfully simple.

Although tragedy has struck,

there is a quiet determination--

an unfolding of love

much more powerful, creative,

unending, and engulfing

than the pathetic action

humankind's perverse souls

can manufacture.

  

(Written by Beth Good to a friend

in reference to the tragic events

of September 11, 2001)

FAMILY: Children

CHILDREN

Yes, I love passionately, fervently,

the life that bursts with
innocence, impudence,

giggles and rainbows. 

(Beth Good - 1997)

SPIRITUALITY: Preferences

PREFERENCES

How much I appreciate

the sincere agnostic

over

the arrogant christian.... 

(Beth Good - 1997)

SPIRITUALITY: The Real Church

THE REAL CHURCH...

A fellowship that challenges

                   complacency and conformity;

      That nurtures the creative idea,

           the compassionate soul,

                 the caring community;

                    That transforms arrogance into pride

hatred into love,

               fear into inner peace;

That bridges differences,

                                and cements a shared understanding

                        for the need to step beyond

                        the footing secured

                                    through faith alone.

(Beth Good - 1990 & 2004)

SPIRITUALITY: Fleeting Moments

FLEETING MOMENTS

Fleeting

moments

guide our lives--

miracles

in spurts

of time.

(Beth Good - 1997)