The Lovers’ Chronicle 29 October – in wait – premiere of Mozart’s opera Don Giovanni – art by Andrei Ryabushkin

Dear Zazie, Here is today’s Lovers’ Chronicle from Mac Tag dedicated to his muse. What or who matters to you? Rhett

The Lovers’ Chronicle

Dear Muse,

no not for Godot
“Ok good,
that would take too long”
right, that is a point
i want to make,
now we can choose
who and what we wait for
“Absolutely”
we spent enough time there
we paid our dues, no more
“And we have more to do”
here and anywhere
“Shall we go”
yes, but unlike
Vladimir and Estragon
lets actually go

you want another story, ok; She came in the sanctuary, forcefully, grabbed him by the shoulders and said; “What are you waiting for. You know what can be, you have nothing to fear and nothing to lose. Just let it happen. I will not go as far as deserved, but this is close.” lets call it, the end of the wait

all done with that
in case you have not noticed,
time is a waistin’

one year in on this journey
a whirlwind of emotions
places, new stories
livin’ as opposed
to observin’
from the box seats

finally wrangled perspective
along with purpose
and one who understands

come on, life awaits

Pale Love, Pale Rider

wow
i know, someone
who thinks they can write
should come up with somethin’
better than, wow

a much anticipated first date
after months of messagin’
and talkin’ on the phone
we agreed to meet at Leon’s
in downtown Decatur

then there you were
walkin’ towards me
on the Ponce sidewalk
the first time i saw your
beautiful smile,
your red hair
reflectin’ the light

we had to wait for a table
so we walked to the square
and sat on a bench

the light was turnin’ golden
and the feelin’ started
that this was special

we went on to have a lovely
meal sittin’ on their patio
and after i walked you
to your car, a first kiss

i remember walkin’ away
thinkin’ that could be
the last first kiss
an the end of the wait

must work, must bear it all

my dear, this is the chronicle
of all i have felt and known
see, it is not that far away

here we will tell each other, yes

“I’d like to, and yet I’m nervous.
Something within me holds back”

perhaps, there is no deceivin’

“Welcome home!”
thank you
good to be home
uncle ben, who traveled widely,
said the best part of goin’ away
was comin’ home

with you,
i now know
what he meant

i should be tired
but i am not
i lie here
by candlelight
waitin’

for sleep,
for dreams
for you to come

train whistle
soundin’
in the distance
comin’ from the East

would that it were
bringin’ you
to come lay with me
and end the waitin’

if you cain’t git the boy
outta the High Plains
to New Orleans…

Sunday mornin’ comin’ down, screen porch, Broken Bow
Mozart’s don Giovanni
Cigar, coffee, 44 degrees

Diesel maduro stout barber pole

how do you become a lover
“You must be chosen.”
and how does it feel
“Like nothing else.”

just got home from watchin’
The Mountain Between Us
and all i can think about
is you

now i lay me
down to sleep
to dream of you

but sleep will not come
cold outside but calm
from my bed,
i can see stars
through the windows

the only sounds;
the cracklin’ fire,
a train whistle
in the distance
the only light;
the candles,
the woodstove
in the corner

so i lie here and wait
for dreams to remove
the mountain between us

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.

All That Matters

Takin’ chances, lettin’ my verse
Ride it’s luck on the ardent breath
Of a lovely, fervent woman
Just lettin’ go, lettin’ it fly
Gamblin’ on sure nuff abandon
Seekin’ beauty where it may lie

You shine a light
For that,
Ever grateful

There we will take
There you will tell me
It is not far off
Let us go from here

That my friend, is all that matters
That is all that I can hope for

Because:
Guilt is not foreign and
so much waits to be written
I can be embraced but
not bound
I have nothin’ to give you
and everything

Because:
Somethin’ loosens
when you are near
Somethin’ opens
I did not know
was shut

Because:
I can kid myself,
it is not too late
I want to tell you,
what cannot be told
I am numb, nothin’
stirs me, but you do

Well, this is new
And different
Not just givin’
Her my body
But givin’ her
My mind and my
Heart. Feels scary
Scary but good

The Song of the Day is “All That Matters” by Kölsch featuring Troels Abrahamsen

On this day in 1787 – Mozart’s opera Don Giovanni receives its first performance in Prague.

Don Giovanni (K. 527; complete title: Il dissoluto punito, ossia il Don Giovanni, literally The Rake Punished, namely Don Giovanni or The Libertine Punished) is an opera in two acts with music by Mozart and Italian libretto by Lorenzo Da Ponte. It is based on the legends of Don Juan, a fictional libertine and seducer. It was premiered by the Prague Italian opera at the Teatro di Praga (now called the Estates Theatre). Da Ponte’s libretto was billed as dramma giocoso, a term that denotes a mixing of serious and comic action. Mozart entered the work into his catalogue as an opera buffa. Although sometimes classified as comic, it blends comedy, melodrama and supernatural elements.

A staple of the standard operatic repertoire. It has also proved a fruitful subject for writers and philosophers.

Original playbill for the Vienna premiere of Don Giovanni

Libretto

English quotations here are cited from Robert Pack and Marjorie Lelash (trans.) Three Mozart Libretti (New York: Dover, 1993).

Notte e giorno faticar,
Per chi nulla sa gradir,
Piova e vento sopportar,
Mangiar male e mal dormir.
Voglio far il gentiluomo
E non voglio più servir.
- I must work night and day for someone who doesn’t appreciate me; I must bear the wind and rain, scarcely eating or sleeping! I, too, would like to be a gentleman, and no longer a servant.
- Leporello, Act I, sc. i; translation p. 135.
Madamina, il catalogo è questo
Delle belle che amò il padron mio;
un catalogo egli è che ho fatt’io;
Osservate, leggete con me.
In Italia seicento e quaranta;
In Almagna duecento e trentuna;
Cento in Francia, in Turchia novantuna;
Ma in Ispagna son già mille e tre.
- My dear lady! This is the catalogue of the women my master has loved. It’s a list that I’ve compiled – look at it; read it over with me! In Italy, six hundred and forty; in Germany, two hundred and thirty-one; a hundred in France; ninety-one in Turkey – but in Spain there are already a thousand and three.
- Leporello, Act I, sc. v; translation p. 145.
Nella bionda egli ha l’usanza
Di lodar la gentilezza,
Nella bruna la costanza,
Nella bianca la dolcezza.
- With blondes, it’s his habit to praise their sweetness; with brunettes, their constancy; with old women, their tenderness.
- Leporello, Act I, sc. v; translation p. 147.
Delle vecchie fa conquista
Pel piacer di porle in lista;
Sua passion predominante
È la giovin principiante.
Non si picca – se sia ricca,
Se sia brutta, se sia bella;
Purché porti la gonnella,
Voi sapete quel che fa.
- He even seduces the old women, simply for the pleasure of adding them to his list. But his preference is really for the young beginners. He never thinks of whether she’s rich, ugly or beautiful – as long as she wears a skirt, you know very well what he does!
- Leporello, Act I, sc. v; translation p. 147.
Don Giovanni: Là ci darem la mano,
Là mi dirai di sì.
Vedi, non è lontano;
Partiam, ben mio, da qui.
Zerlina: Vorrei e non vorrei,
Mi trema un poco il cor.
Felice, è ver, sarei,
Ma può burlarmi ancor.
- Don Giovanni:
- There we will take each other’s hands,
- there you will tell me “yes”.
- See; it is not far off;
- let us go my love from here!
  Zerlina:
- I’d like to, and yet I’m afraid – something within me holds back. Perhaps I would be happy – but still he may be deceiving me!
- Act I, sc. ix, translation p. 153.
Ah! la mia lista
Doman mattina
D’una decina
Devi aumentar!
- Ah, my list
- tomorrow morning
- of a dozen
- you have to increase!
- Don Giovanni, Act I, sc. xv, translation pp. 163-5.
Di rider finirai pria dell’aurora!
- By dawn your laughter will be ended.
- La Statua, Act II, sc. xv, translation p. 203.
Vivan le femmine,
Viva il buon vino!
Sostegno e gloria
d’umanità!
- Long live women!
- Long live good wine!
- Support and glory
- of humanity!
- Don Giovanni, Act II, sc. xviii, translation p. 211.

And today is the birthday of Andrei Ryabushkin (Andrei Petrovich Ryabushkin; Stanichnaya sloboda, Borisoglebskiy uezd, Tambov gubernia, Russia; 29 October [O.S. 17 October] 1861 – 10 May [O.S. 27 April] 1904 Didvino, Russia); painter. His major works were devoted to life of ordinary Russians of the 17th century.