folklore
I say, there would be no folklore without Astral Weeks
and Louisa says dads everywhere would click on that—
still unwritten—article and send it to their daughters
as proof from another daughter, that Taylor Swift
is the saltwater taffy that strains the jaw as you eat,
as you decide if you even like waxy sugar. But mostly,
“exile” conjures Door County in September
when one sweater isn’t comfort enough after dark
and you need a little Mt. Gay in your cider to observe
the blueness of Vega shining at the top of Lyra
in the astral field. And who doesn’t need to scream
into waves at Cave Point as lake water touches
bottom, crests, and crashes loudly against the cliffs?
The music plays and even the branches come alive
in their seasonal decay—anthocyanin edging tree leaves
as you sip craft cocktails at Wickman House, floral
notes of Death’s Door gin like John Payne on flute
riding on top of the tune, smooth as goat milk soap.
Wasn’t the whole city of Milwaukee disappointed
when Bon Iver didn’t address the crowd ten years
after For Emma? Like Van at the Hollywood Bowl,
seeking protection from the loneliness of the crowd,
walking on as the band’s already playing, not speaking
but strumming? Wasn’t Orpheus himself pulled apart?
…..
This poem first appeared in Crazyhorse, and can be found in the book Astral Weeks, Etc. by Brookes Moody (Finishing Line Press) at https://www.finishinglinepress.com/product/astral-weeks-etc-by-brookes-moody/
Astral Weeks, Etc. is a collection of intertextual poetry centered on music, starting with the work of singer-songwriter Van Morrison. With music—from Morrison, his peers, influences, and artistic descendants—as the catalyst and the frame, this collection of poetry explores female friendships, familial bonds, the relationship that we have with art, and the relationship we have with one another and ourselves through art. Employing multiple layers of allusion and musical ekphrasis, these poems operate like music reviews while others engage in counter narratives of classic rock history.
BROOKES MOODY earned a PhD in English with a concentration in creative writing from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee where she taught literary journal production and creative writing. She also holds an MFA in creative writing from The New School. A Jersey girl with Rhode Island roots, her poetry and creative nonfiction has appeared in magazines like swamp pink (formally Crazyhorse), Mississippi Review, The Literary Review, phoebe, and Crab Creek Review, among others. Brookes has worked in all facets of publishing whether that’s as an indie bookseller, on the editorial board of a literary journals, or in the Publisher’s Office at Red Hen Press. You can find Brookes spending her vacation days at one writing retreat or another.
The Paddock Review 