Mirror Poem about Janis Joplin

Marc Latham’s latest Folding Mirror poem is a fantasy conversation with Janis Joplin, who tragically died of an overdose at aged 27 in 1970.

Mirror Poem Explanation

There is no anniversary relevance for a poem about Janis Joplin in the wider world, but she was the subject of Reflection 19 in Marc Latham’s 242 Mirror Poems and Reflections, and it is that reflection’s turn to be serialised on Marc’s greenYgrey website.

So, in a first from that book, here’s a new Folding Mirror poem inspired by a reflection. It tells a story of an imaginary meeting with Janis in a biopic kind of way, based on real aspects in her life.

Janis grew up in Port Arthur, Texas and had a younger sister who attended her wake in San Francisco. Janis started her California career singing in the band Big Brother and the Holding Company.  Somewhere Near Salinas is part of the Me and Bobby McGee song made famous by Janis.

New Mirror Poem

Here’s the poem:

Happiness over Horizon, Jiving with Janis

on a memorable day of bopping
round clocking with Janis Joplin
at some Hollywood palace
of debateable excellence
I asked her if she treasures
memories from Port Arthur Texas

why did I ask, you really wanna know

forgetting love Somewhere Near Salinas
I remembered my past without fuss
boredom creates blues
feeling nothing to lose
replied singer in Big Brother
but I cherish Laura little sister

New Mirrror Poem while Blondie Rocked Glastonbury

With a couple of hours of battery life, and feeling that he hadn’t created enough for a World Cup Rest Day, and with four days of World Cup double games days on the horizon, Marc Latham clunked out yet another Folding Mirror poem last night.

Blondie at Glastonbury

Moanin’ in the Moonlight (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Hi, it’s Howlin’ Werewolf, satirical comedy music correspondent at the greenYgrey inspired by legendary Blues singer Howlin’ Wolf.

Marc wrote his poem while watching Blondie at Glastonbury on television, and thought they played a great set. I watched it too, and in addition to the classic old songs, I really liked the uplifting Mile High and the heavy metallish guitar and drum solos.

Here’s Blondie’s Mile High played with greenYgrey backing at Miami earlier this year:

Glastonbury Weather

Rainbow (Photo credit: adwriter)

The greenYgrey justified its Glastonbury poster headlining status with a dramatic greatest hits set: producing thunder and lightning storms during the day, rainbows, and then a spectacular sunset in the evening.

Musical bands come and go, but the weather sings forever.

Mirror Poem Explanation

However, Marc Latham’s new mirror poem kind of takes the opposite view, in a greenYgrey kind of way, extolling the virtues of thought in creatures great and small; and how one thought by a small animal such as a mouse is better in that way than all the gigantic unthinking reactions in space.

Family business (Photo credit: onkel_wart (thomas lieser))

In a greenYgrey way, human thoughts are the best and worse we know, but animals have a lot of nice and nasty ones too; with the former shown by their caring for each other.

Marc wrote on fmpoetry.wordpress.com that ‘the title and last line refers to a single thought of a small creature being superior in that way to great giant stars, which just work unthinkingly by thermonuclear reactions. The last line also plays on the British television series about a vet, All Creatures Great and Small. So although the universe is mindbogglingly massive, life as we know it on Earth is the best we know for thinking.’

Here’s the poem:

Damselfly (Photo credit: Jan de Graaf)

Particular Preciousness of Thinking, Thought Superior to Reaction

crunch time for mortal minds
strangles infinite breath
day drags for damselfly
century crows to humanity
instinct, learning, loving, expiring
endless summer days

One’s outlook on life, age of calendar July

winter limits light
experience, remembering, warming, gripping
holding on for dear
life becomes more refined
sailing history’s horizon
all creatures greater than sun

We are family (Photo credit: *Kicki*)

 

 

Glastonbury Begins World Cup Rest Day Reflections

life seems without meaning
until you see death
providing a finishing line
and then the game begins
you choose your best side
trying to stay alive instead of die.

Hi, it’s William Wolfsworth, satirical comedy poetry correspondent at the greenYgrey inspired by legendary Romantic poet William Wordsworth. I hope you don’t mind a morsel of middle-age maudling in the above introduction.

There’s double news today, to match the double reflection that reflected The Futility of Life and Death in 242 Mirror Poems and Reflections. Futility of Life and Death was published on fmpoetry.wordpress.com in April, 2011.

greenYgrey Headlines Glastonbury Reflection 1

It’s great that greenYgrey is headlining the poster of Glastonbury, England’s premier music festival, line-up bill this year, supported by the likes of Blondie, Metallica, Kasabian and Fatboy Slim.

The first part of Reflection 18, which mirrors my introduction more than Glastonbury’s fun vibe, although Lana Del Ray is playing there and has said similar recently, was: ‘I’ve fantasised about creating life, but dreamt about ending my own more. Suicide was my parachute, knowing it was there helped keep my plane on course when it was in trouble.’

South American Football Good News Story

After the Luis Suarez biting incident it could be easy to forget what a good world cup Brazil has provided so far, and the positives of South American football. Neymar and Messi have delivered for Brazil and Argentina, but the best South American football has probably been played by Columbia and Chile.

There was a nice touch at the end of Columbia’s third game, when they sent on reserve goalie Mondragon for the last five minutes of the game. At 43 he became the oldest player to play at a World Cup, and also became the oldest player to gYgboo (greenYgrey boomerang) too! Not bad work for 5 minutes of time!!

Reflection 18 (2)

However, the second part of Reflection 18 is more in line with Suarez’s bite! Although it’s more about bipolarity and depression in the mind than actual vampires!!

Vampires are All in the Mind

Molars dig deep
through unconscious neck
into conscious brain
draining lifeblood from mood.

Hourglass inverted
serotonin drains away
you join the living dead
for another day.

Beatles Song Inspiration and Inspiring Video

Collie in the Sky over Diomedes
remembered with respect
a certain song by
McCartneyLennon
that contained yellow and green
but no grey.

Hi, it’s Howlin’ Werewolf, music correspondent at the Greenygrey inspired by legendary Blues singer Howlin’ Wolf.

The title of the first XaW Files blog reminded me of a certain Beatles song. When I found a video for the song on YouTube I also found lots of great greenygrey imagery I’m sure ol’ Andy Wolfhol would’ve admired.

While the lyrics of the song missed out grey

Cellophane flowers of yellow and green
Towering over your head

the video has lots of all kinds of greenygrey. I hope you like it… I think it’s aWsome… and there’s a little more aWsomeness after it…

You know, before he left, I’ll never forget ol’ Wolfhol telling me:

My mind has travelled far
but the telescopes overtook me.

Maybe he’s out there flying with the telescopes.

Marc Latham has books available on Smashwords and Amazon (http://www.amazon.com/author/marclatham), including previous Greenygrey’s rambles.

Ellie Goulding Burn Remix and Backing Band Name Ideas

Hi, it’s Howlin’ Wolf, music correspondent at the Greenygrey. We’ve had some great colourful backing groups, such as Cee-Lo Green‘s Scarlet Fever and Patti Labelle‘s The Bluebelles, but there’s been no greenygreys yet.

Ellie Goulding and The Greenygrey

It looks like Ellie Goulding is backed by the Greenygrey in this photo for her Burn song. Although the Greenygrey is only one half of the backing of course, sharing the duties with the Pinkypeach. Maybe it’s more Ellie Goulding and the Pinkypeach Greenygrey?

Ellie Goulding – Burn (At Dawn We Rage Light It Up Remix)

However, there’s no pinkypeach in this At Dawn We Rage remix; while the greenygrey of the Ellie Goulding backdrop has been remixed into a sea pool.

At Dawn We Rage remix

 

Blondie and the Greenygrey

Hi, it’s Tony Loboinson again. Sorry I ran out of time in the last blog; those Talking Heads just kept… talking! Anyway, I’m sure you’ve all been on tenterhooks waiting to see Debbie Harry of Blondie and Greenygrey duetting in the 1970s, as recently shown in New York at the BBC.

When Blondie Met Greenygrey

I guess many of you thought it was too good to be true: two culture icons meeting in 1970s Britain; but here’s the evidence:

And by the powers of modern technology, here’s the full video:

P.S. I have not unearthed any evidence to prove The Old Grey Whistle Test was named after our Grey.

Talking Heads and the Greenygrey

Hi, it’s Tony Loboinson back again. I took the hint from your reaction to my raising a-were-ness joke and went in search of some existential Greenygrey history. It didn’t take me long to unearth some 1970s Greenygrey gems.

Talking Heads and Greenygrey

As shown in New York at the BBC, the Greenygrey once shared a stage with Talking Heads, most famous for their song Road to Nowhere, which is a kind of musical Groundhog Day, and how Greenygrey (and Grey when solo) often felt on the epic fantasy-travel rambles.

Some of the band even had fun synchronised greenygreying while playing:

And when I searched the Road to Nowhere video I found Greenygrey played multiple parts. Here’s just a couple:

I’ve run out of time on the road to nowhere, so Blondie’ll have to wait until the next blog. Here’s the Road to Nowhere video. How many Greenygrey parts can you find?

Calvin Harris, Florence Machine and Spectrum ‘Say My Name’

Hi, it’s Baron Wolfman, artistic apprentice at the Greenygrey. Andy Wolfhol is still working away in the Werehouse, so I thought I’d bring you some of the daily greenygrey I see on Facebook. Here’s a Saturday selection:

Update: Photos no longer available

And Allison Roberts-Grey posted this Greenygrey chameleon anthem Calvin Harris mix of ‘Say My Name’ by Florence and the Machine-Spectrum. Altogether now, Greenygrey, Greenygrey, Greenygrey… um, I mean Baron Wolfman…

Tracer Chaser Leads to Double Discovery of Relevancy

Hi, it’s Green. We heard a good song by Australian band Tracer on Planet Rock, so we thought we’d look them up. Our first interesting discovery was that their debut album is called Spaces In Between, which reminded us of the Folding Mirror poetry form.

And then we went to their Mascot label’s website, and the Cool Green Recordings has a greenygrey layout. How cool!

We have checked with the Werewolf of Oz, and it turns out they played at the Rock-It Festival, so we’ve added them to the book of the blog we’re editing at the moment:

Tracer started the day off for us with some fantastic space rock. They were followed by a storming Airbourne set, and a great slide guitar fuelled bluesy show by Rose Tattoo. Brian Johnson era AC/DC played a solid set, and nicely warmed us up for a sensational Bon Scott era AC/DC bad boy boogie headlining show.