If you have ever put your brush Up to a canvas well-toned blank Which you had felt for sure Was meant to be the cradle Of a timeless masterpiece, And if you then have failed, If brain cells went all askew, Antagonistic to your concept Which you then lost as enterprise; If cool and warm and dark and light And composition deep heroic All have fled And merged in grey and mass confusion, Then I pray: Condemn you not! You tried something sublime, You sought among the stars, And only Don Quixote's dark enchanters Blocked your astral way. So though your countenance like his be sad, Take heart in bittersweet elation You had willingness To serve as medium for divinity's way to earth. Empty vessels are you, yes, but one disposed. Disposed? No, more! Desirous, burning, avid praying, lustful craving, Living to contain a drop of blood from God. *********************************************** This is another poem in the treasure book of poems Ben left for us. I particularly love this one. Love, annie old7lady9blogger80@gmail.com *****************************************************
Reclining once on distant cot I put to lips a paper-edge And whistled up all wistfully A song. In that far land I'd lately heard, Upon which passing by and hearing, Curious mawarisan Came to see what strange gaijin Knew as I Shina no Yoru too, And whistled it with so much feeling, Strange, I guess, in all Amerikajn. Noting him, I spoke, He bowed, we smiled, he then walked on. And never to this day have we Seen one the other more. Of no import this brief encounter, Save for me, for I was there. And often I am led to think: Across the sea and aged just like me, Retired mawarisan may hear that tune And may perhaps recall a gaijin And that moment his and mine.
"Shina no Yoru" song "China Nights." mawarisan: patrolman Amerikajin and gaijin: American The time Ben spent in Korea was very important to him: 1952-1954. I only met him about 6 mos after he came home. But he spoke often of Korea and taught me this song. I am sure you will love this sweet poem about a sweet boy who loved the song: SHINA NO YORU I will from time to time share more of Ben's poems with you. annie in memphis ****************************************************
Anytime there were fresh flowers in the house, they would disappear into the room where Ben painted. I had just picked these daffodils from our yard and straightaway Ben put them in a still life. I am blessed to have beautiful paintings surrounding us. His mother made the quilt/throw lying on the table to the right. And the orange? He loved to put fresh fruit in a still life too. I am thinking the keys were symbolic also, but he never revealed the meaning.
Ben and Ann Brewer were married 55 years. He did the pastel of me when I was in my mid thirties. I always thought Ben was more handsome than the way he painted himself.
There was a pic here of snow capped mountains in the distance; google may have removed it.. But poem doesn't need to be dressed up. ab
When I am gone if you may wonder How that is and where, Look up to ridge against the blue. You'll see me walking there With never a hurried step, And to the north you'll find a cirque Of snow that never ever melts; To south I'll skirt a scree That drops to aspens Where they throw their druggets By the spruce and jigsaw pines, Leading them to valley cottonwood That clusters aged by the water: There will be you in your labor Ill at ease with things about. Know then you as I Will someday find your trailhead too, Whose upper turns will switch And lift you back and forth To where you'll share with me my ridge That rises into all sublimity. ************************************** Today, July 30, is Ben's granddaughter Eva Brewer Trimble's 25th birthday. She made him a "paw paw" because she was the first grandchild. I am publishing this especially for her, whom he loved.
Love from annie. There were pictures on here which google removed!!! Shame on google.
Migrant purple shade is on the grass, And sad bird song recalls a spring in fall. October breeze seems all too soft to last. And second glance finds purple's reached the wall. Worn out leaves retain a faded green, But some show edges hinting now a red; Still others in a downward twirl are seen, Preferring not to wage a futile fight in dread Proper is my role within this autumn act: My wistful soul would join in that bird's song, My parts fatigues cannot deny the fact That autumn's cool will turn to ice ere long. October is of life the last and best, But knows that soon will come its final test. {*Watching Lydia play soccer.) ********************************************* From annie: It still seems like summer but October begins tomorrow. Ben loved all of Autumn...but especially OCTOBER!! Ben wrote this while he watched his granddaughter at soccer practice several years ago. I publish this poem especially for Lydia Grace Brewer, 17 years old.....much loved by Paw Paw.
There's one today will climb Chicoma, Hear the rush of wind birds, See the tops of pine. Far above the fisher's hook He'll take the breathless step And rest To look and feel himself to be The last-laid stone that capped The highest pyramid of great antiquity. I would be that stone, Atop Chicoma's cone, Would feel on all sides under Common world that quivered to my thunder, I would be Chicoma's peak Yet see me from the valley I would know the peasant's pleasure As the scholar understands it. View from Chicoma This is one of the poems I found in a loose leaf notebook 6 weeks after my husband died April 6, 2012; they were written in pen and ink and no one had read them before. Handwritten made them seem all the more alive as if he had just laid down the pen. He loved the state of his roots: Kentucky. But even more, perhaps, he loved New Mexico the state of his awakening . Submitted to my Blog friends, with love, annie ************************************************** old7lady9blogger80@gmail.com **************************************************
ORIGINAL BLACKWOOD BROTHERS QUARTET RW ROY JAMES DOYLE
One Sunday morning at Speedway Baptist Church in Memphis people were asking each other..."Blackwood Brothers? Who are they?" The preacher announced that the entire evening service would be music by the Blackwood Brothers, a gospel quartet, formed in Choctaw, Mississippi. These were the original brothers plus Bill Lyles, (not the replacements that followed later.) The quartet formed in 1934 (when I was a year old) then moved to the Shenandoah Valley in Iowa, where they were successful. Because their parents were in poor health, in 1950 they relocated in Memphis to be nearer them. That's about the time they came to our church. They sang on WMPS radio and people were beginning to listen. A Speedway member heard them and invited them to sing at our church.
Jackie Marshall, pianist on top,Bill Lyles, bass, second row on the right. They were there that night.Bill Shaw was not there because he had not yet replaced Doyle.
Our church, curious as to what we would hear, was packed that evening. Their pianist came on stage first and then the oldest member Roy. I think he only sang on first song or two.
Roy Blackwood December, 24 1900 - March 21, 1971
Roy Blackwood was an ordained minister in the Church of God in the 20's and early 30's. He was the oldest member of the original Blackwood Brothers Quartet and sang the tenor part. In the late 40's Roy retired from the quartet and after the group moved to Memphis in 1950 he worked in the Blackwood Brothers Record Shop. He and his wife Susie had two sons, R. W. and Cecil The other brothers were Doyle
Doyle Blackwood - August 21, 1911 - October 3, 1974
Doyle Blackwood was the bass singer in the original Blackwood Brothers Quartet and accompanied the group on guitar. Doyle retired from the quartet in the late 40's and managed the Blackwood Brothers Record Shop in Memphis. ,
James
James Blackwood - August 4, 1919 - February 3, 2002
James was the youngest of the brothers. He sang in the quartet from it’s beginning in 1934 until he joined the Masters V in 1981. He won 9 Grammy Awards and 7 Dove Awards as Best Male Vocalist. James was called "Mr. Gospel Music," a title given to him by the many people who loved him. His voice was regarded as one of the best ever in gospel music.
R.W. who was Roy's son
R. W. Blackwood - October 23, 1921 - June 30, 1954
R. W. Blackwood was the baritone in the original Blackwood Brothers Quartet. He was the oldest son of Roy and Susie Blackwood and nephew of James and Doyle. R. W. is remembered for his beautiful, rich baritone voice. He thrilled audiences with his showmanship as well as his extraordinary vocal ability. He was the pilot for the group when they traveled by plane in the early 50’s. He and his wife Elaine had two sons, Ron and Winston.
And Bill
Bill Lyles - December 7, 1920 - June 30, 1954 Bill had blond hair
Bill Lyles was the bass singer in the Blackwood Brothers Quartet from the late 40’s until his death in 1954. He was the co-pilot for the group’s airplane in the early 50’s. He is still regarded as one of the smoothest bass singers in gospel music.
The church was dark except for the stage. The handsome pianist began playing. Then the singers almost danced on to the stage. They were so handsome and effervescent! They stole our hearts from the first notes.
I have already written about my love for black gospel music. Henceforth, I would be a lover of country gospel too. I think it is generally conceded that Elvis was heavily influenced by both black and white gospel music. He especially loved the Blackwood Brothers and Statesmen quartets. Later he would use them in some of his performances. But getting back to that special night at Speedway. This is the only recording I could find of that original group. They were marvelous and we simply didn't want the music to
end and kept begging for more. And they DID GIVE US MORE!! All of the singers who were there (and many who were in the congregation that night) are dead now. But I count myself blessed that I was there and remain a witness to how wonderful they were in person.
In only a few years two of the singers on the stage that night would be killed in a plane crash. But that night nothing sad had entered their lives. They went on to sing on the Arthur Godfrey Show in 1954 and that same year RW and Bill died. Those of us who heard them at Speedway were very sad. Only with us a few hours we felt like they were somehow part of us and our church. We felt some sort of bonding. Although outstanding replacements were found, still those of us who heard them would always miss RW and Bill. .
Here is a 1955 recording with two replacements. But I'll never forget that original group I heard at Speedway so long ago....GOD IS GOOD.
All for now, Love from annie in memphis ****************************************************** .
Another memory of a widow. Love, annie in memphis
View from Chicoma
Jackie Marshall, pianist on top,Bill Lyles, bass, second row on the right. They were there that night.Bill Shaw was not there because he had not yet replaced Doyle.
Bill had blond hair