The Lovers’ Chronicle 21 May – beginnin’ – art by Henri Rousseau

Dear Zazie, Here is today’s Lovers’ Chronicle from Mac Tag to his muse. Visit us on twitter @cowboycoleridge. Z, miss you. Rhett

The Lovers’ Chronicle

Dear Muse,

begin the dream…
-Under a big desert sky, clear night, full moon and stars shining,
they come upon a sleeping gypsy, she is wearing a long robe
with a rainbow of colourful stripes and lies upon a similarly
striped cloth. Her right hand holds a staff, while beside her
rests a mandolin and a tall jar with slim neck. While she
continues to lie passively, a maned lion has approached
and dips its head to cautiously sniff-

i thought about beginnin’ the beguine
”That would be an option”
or bein’ almost as clever as R.E.M.
with “Begin the Begin”
”Oh, good one and good song”
but lets go with a literary ripoff;
to begin or not to begin
“Well that was the question we faced”
on several levels, and spoiler alert,
we decided to, and the answer,
yes, ‘twas better to begin again,
to try, perchance to be, for in bein’
together, what dreams have come

© copyright 2023.2024 Mac Tag/cowboycoleridge all rights reserved

that is survivin’ right, whenever an end comes seekin’ a way out, preferably constructive, and particularly, when it was not seen comin’; been through several, both seen and not seen, some self inflicted, bitter about some, sure
and still standin’ because of this, comin’ here and spreadin’ it all over the page

yes, a good place to go
on this day,
more so than others
when reminded
about all good things

no explainin’, without
followin’ this trail
since inception

only way to get here
what will be seen as the start
of the bookend on this tale
of seekin’ and findin’ what matters

Pale Love, Pale Rider

of loss and lost
seems what most
of this has been about

clueless for so long
took almost a lifetime
for it to come into focus

chosen of anyone
of that there is
plenty doubt

of beginnin’s and endin’s
another take on what
this has been for

all i ever wanted
was to give this

do you want
to hear again

were it not,
what would be

were it not,
would there even
be a point

were it not

for you

do you know
where it begins

i at least
figured out that much
though it took too long

s’pose some never do
so later is better
than not at all

i even know
where it ends
though it is too late

but most never do
so knowin’ is better
than not

do you know

***

let the verse ride
on the breath
of a lovely woman
let it soar
on the winds
of abandon

seekin’ beauty and sorrow
wherever they may be

that my friend, is all that matters
that is all that can be hoped for

“Have you known joy?”
Only in moments
Never sustained
“Have you given others joy?”
Same, same answer; only
in moments, never sustained

Ray* wrote and sang;
“The way of the fallen is hard”
only every day Ray
every damn day

*singer/songwriter Ray Wylie Hubbard

One must survive
One must go on
That is the whole
point, to go on
Without you, my
transformation
will be complete
As it must be
So shall it be

This note was written on 21 May 2012…

Dear Zazie Lee,

Do you still come here for coffee? I hope so. Sorry for my long absence. I have missed you so. I was talkin’ to my friend Mac Tag and he asked me for a favour. Seems he has lost his Muse. I hate it when that happens! He would not elaborate on what happened, just that she was gone. He asked if I could leave a note here periodically from him to her. I think he needs an outlet for his feelin’s and views this as a tribute to her. Mac Tag is a poet and a philosopher and I expect his notes will be romantic and sad and funny and inspirin’. Here is his first note. Rhett. PS. Jett says hey and he misses you too.

To My Muse, You shined a light into my darkness and gave me back my words. For that I am ever grateful. I am glad you walked into my life. My words are dedicated to you.

for Julie

I must let my verse ride its luck
On the back of the ardent breath
Of a lovely, fervent woman
Must let it soar across the sky
On the winds of true abandon
Seekin’ beauty where it may lie
That my friend, is all that matters
That is all that I can hope for

Today is the birthday of Henri Rousseau (Henri Julien Félix Rousseau; Laval, France; May 21, 1844 – September 2, 1910 Paris); Post-Impressionist painter in the Naïve or Primitive manner. He was also known as Le Douanier (the customs officer), a humorous description of his occupation as a toll collector. Ridiculed during his lifetime by critics, he came to be recognized as a self-taught genius whose works are of high artistic quality. Rousseau’s work exerted an extensive influence on several generations of avant-garde artists. Sylvia Plath was an admirer of Rousseau, referencing his art, as well as drawing inspiration from his works in her poetry. The poem, “Yadwigha, on a Red Couch, Among Lilies” (1958), is based upon his painting, La Rêve, whilst the poem “Snakecharmer” (1957) is based upon his painting The Snake Charmer. The song, “The Jungle Line”, by Joni Mitchell from her album The Hissing of Summer Lawns, is based upon a Rousseau painting.

In 1868, he married Clémence Boitard, his landlord’s 15-year-old daughter, with whom he had six children (only one survived). Clémence died in 1888 and he married Josephine Noury in 1898.