Life Of An Insect

Can an insect teach us anything about our lives?  If an insect unintentionally tries to tell us something about ourselves, why should we listen?  

This next piece is from my 2007 chapbook titled "Manic Muse and Other Observations."

mayfly 

on the windshield one morning 

a newly hatched mayfly scurries 

around the clear glass surface. 

resisting the urge to sweep it away 

with wiperblades I begin driving. 

mayfly clings with suctioned legs 

to glass as the car's speed increases 

down the street. 

I think that any moment the mayfly 

will release and be gone, but no, 

it clings tightly even with one leg. 

in my mind I shout "let go you foolish 

insect, let go!  don't cling...you have wings 

so fly for heaven's sake!" 

finally hurricane-like wind wisks 

the clinging mayfly away in an instant, 

clear glass clear again. 

and in my mind a voice shouts at me 

"fly foolish man, fly!"  and stepping 

harder on the accelerator 

I search frantically for wings. 

Poem © 2007 by R. Burnett Baker 

vacant house 

vacant house 

sits alone 

occupants gone years prior. 

voices echo 

only in fading memories 

of lives long departed. 

hearts of souls remaining 

to reflect 

serve only to 

sweep away 

traces of lifedreams 

collected as dust 

upon the 

floor. 

Poem © 2006 by R. Burnett Baker 

Photo © 2009 by R. Burnett Baker 

Photo of abandoned house in Lincoln, NY  taken June 28, 2009  by R. Baker.

Poem from chapbook titled "Slipping Quietly", 2006.

Gotta Love A Storm!

This afternoon, June 26, 2009 there was a violent rain storm that swept over parts of Rochester, NY.  It came in off Lake Ontario quickly and with a purpose:  To remind us mere mortals that Mother Nature's in charge.  At work, a sudden sound of the mall roof seemingly exploding had all of us rushing to the door to witness the deluge.  High winds and rain pounding in horizontal sheets were amazing!  Gotta love a storm once in a while. 

It also produced one to two inch hail.  Hence the sound on the roof.   I wasn't concerned with the roof.  I just didn't want to walk out and see a crater-dented car.  But after about a half hour of excitement I managed to wade into the parking lot and find no damage.  The Gap store within the mall was totally flooded and had to close.  Many cars in one area of the mall parking lot were left standing in water up past the doors.  

In a short time, the violent rain, lightning, wind and thunder diminished to a gentle rain, then brilliant sunshine and blue skies.  All's well that ends well.  Except for Gap, perhaps. 

storm divine 

it's the rain's fragrance 

we savor, 

a break in clouds 

that makes 

a storm 

divine. 

Poem and photo © 2008 by R. Burnett Baker

Photo taken 2008 by R. Baker in Rochester, NY.

rain on leaves

gentle rain

on leaves

belies thunder's

violence.

Poem © 2008 by R. Burnett Baker

theater of desire

as I wait in my 

theater of desire 

an audience applauds 

futile longings 

for affection. 

 

a hall of hearts 

waits for 

curtain call, 

believing the 

show must 

go on. 

Poem © 2009 by R. Burnett Baker 

Photo © 2009 by R. Burnett Baker 

Photo taken by R. Baker June 17, 2009 of the Little Theater, Rochester, NY 

strangers 

strangers 

look past 

one another 'cause 

there seems to be no 

good reason to look at one another, or speak, or touch 

in a society that teaches us 

that fear, hatred, and crime

can be avoided if 

everyone will simply 

look past 

strangers.

Poem © 1987 by R. Burnett Baker

Photo © 2009 by R. Burnett Baker 

Photo taken on East Avenue, Rochester, NY, June 17, 2009 by R. Baker

Oh Dad, Oh Dad!

We Never Knew Ya! 

I couldn't resist posting this photo.  In the mall where I work the Famous Footwear store had this display outside their door every day for about three weeks.  It's a classic "what were they thinking" scene.  No wonder so many retailers are filing Chapter 11 or going out of business.  So out of touch with their customers.  

Then again, maybe I'm the one out of touch!  After all, I'm still using 35mm film to take photos.  Anyway, after a day or two in one of these gittups, Dad will certainly appreciate the poem posted below titled "Days End" 

Happy Father's Day!  

Rick Baker

June 21, 2009 

Rochester, NY

day's end 

work's finished 

for another day, 

for another evening 

of respite from 

survival's demands. 

I kick shoes off 

burning feet 

laden with body weight. 

calf muscles ache

for the sake of walking, 

for the steps in passing; 

burn for reasons forgotten 

as footprints refuse to 

follow feet forging ahead. 

how refreshing the sofa. 

how calming the silence. 

how disquieting 

the ache of life 

moving along 

at the speed 

of breathing, 

in the blink 

of an 

eye. 

Poem © 2006 by R. Burnett Baker 

Photo  © 2009 by R. Burnett Baker 

Photo:  "Self Portrait"  taken by R. Baker

SO EASY

It's so easy to become mired in daily life.  Work. Sleep. Chores. Work. Sleep. Chores. Bills.  It's so easy to choose to stay home in the evening and watch the news, and mindless television.  It's so easy to not take part in activities around us, regardless of how mundane they may seem to be. 

It's mid June, and in Rochester, NY that means the Rochester International Jazz Festival.  First organized in 2002,  the nine day RIJF is steadily becoming a world class event.  Last year the festival attracted some 125,000 music lovers.  I never took notice of the festival until last year. And I love jazz music.  So last year I made a decision to attend a couple of performances each year going forward.  

From the music world the RIJF has headlined names such as Tony Bennett, Ravi Coltrane, Al Jarreau, Chick Corea, and Madeleine Peyroux.  Woody Allen,  George Benson, Dave Brubeck, Aretha Franklin, Nora Jones,  Etta James, and Oscar Peterson.  Oh my goodness, the list goes on and on!  

I cannot imagine why I was so wrapped up in my little proscribed world for those years.  It's also so easy to dismiss all this as mere celebrity worship, and there's way too much of that in this country. 

But this is different.  Music is different.  It stirs excitement.  It conjures up beautiful memories. Music electrifies the senses, teases our emotions.  Many forms of art do these things, but music takes us into other worlds, and sweetly banishes the mundane from our daily lives.  Attending a concert is often very emotional for me. (In a good way!)  Watching these artists perform their works live, works that we've listened to for many years, transcends celebrity:  It makes those musical legends real and intimate.  It makes us real and intimate. 

Last year I watched Boz Scaggs, Al Green, and jazz ukulele maestro Jake Shimabukuro.  So far this year I've seen Jake again, along with Austin, Texas blues guitarist Carolyn Wonderland. Just magnificent! 

So I'm including with this screed a couple of poems I wrote over the past few years relating to art and music.  

Go on!  Go out and see a concert!  It's so easy to sit in.  And it's so easy to open the paper or internet and find temporary contentment for the soul! 

Rick Baker 

Rochester, New York 

June 18, 2009 

______________________

sax crying 

jazz percolates 

the coffee shop. 

lattes 

teas

sweetbreads 

lend aroma 

to melodic 

memories 

of smooth days long vanished, 

of satin nights borne on romance, 

of cool lives whistled softly 

to a solo sax 

crying for night 

to never 

end. 

Poem © 2006 by R. Burnett Baker (From the 2007 chapbook  

"Manic Muse and Other Observations".) 

Sketched art by R. Baker.  

Photos and art   © 2009 by R. Burnett Baker

________________________________

lyrics 

lyrics trump beat 

everytime in song 

they emote and commiserate 

with muses of music 

to live moments over and again,

to speak words in melody 

to offer meaning for life 

voices in harmony. 

Poem © 2007 by R. Burnett Baker 

                                               ______________________________________

all the world 

so much art 

in all the world 

every 

painter a master 

writer a laureate 

musician a maestro 

each patron 

an insatiable hunger 

craving 

to 

be 

fed. 

Poem © 2007 by R. Burnett Baker 

crossroad

at a crossroad 

with evening 

claiming the street 

two faces turn 

toward sunset: 

a blinding light

hiding the 

path.   

Poem © 2009 by R. Burnett Baker

Photo © 2009 by R. Burnett Baker 

Photo taken by R. Baker on Rue Saint-Catherine, Montreal, Quebec.