Landscapes
of Yo Yo Ma's Brazil
Colors and
smells of market stalls:
polished wood of weathered faces,
bouquets of floral cloth,
ripe fruit, sweets and spices,
a simmering melting pot,
flies and smoke,
meat browning over red hot coals.
Dance club
on a rainy night:
the commerce and the flesh of dancers
in hot embrace, sewn together
then unraveling like
warm breath
or dust
caught in rays of pale yellow light.
Afro rhythms,
Brazilian hearts:
pulsing hips, full moist lips,
laughter and barter
mold bodies in mutual consent
to make deals
or love,
games played in the dark.
A tin-roof
shanty dressed to please:
curtains sheer and white
blow in the breeze,
a warm caress on naked bodies
light as feathers floating
in jungle canopies,
sky blue, violet and green.
Afternoon
shimmering in steam:
fields and mountains
silent, awaiting rain,
adults suspended, melt in lethargy
while carefree children
splash
in a shady stream.
Bright plumed
birds glide into trees:
songs echo music
of lands far away,
joyful sounds of memories
and languages lost,
chants call forth
spirits displaced by history.
Seductive
voices and melodies
tease, embrace, twirl, let go,
inviting the clarinet to play,
then the piano,
guitar, and cello join the dance
of wind and leaves,
a fluid samba of intimacy.
©
2004 Richard Sidy
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