Clergy

Rainey steps back into the spotlight,
       bright dots of sweat
       shining on her clear skin.
She cues the combo
       and moves into the mike.
The set is half done,
Ellington, Loesser and Kahn
       the elegant fabrics
       she’s laced in, around and over.
Now it's a Lazy Afternoon
       and the beetle bugs are zoomin
       and there's not another humin in view.
She soars and dives,
       gravels a high note
       and Janis is here—
Drops like a cut-cabled elevator
       to press a deep, low phrase
       straight into your chest,
       invoking Morgana, Nina and June.
              Incantation,
              Communion,
              Transubstantiation—
Joy rises.
Not pleasure—
              Joy.
Rainey's walking on water
Invincible, taking us with her, to the far shore.

 © 1978-2004 Ann Medlock

Above is an excerpt from the poem "Clergy" by Ann Medlock, just one of many beautiful poems from her fantastic book "Aria, Riffs and Whispers"...

Read the entire poem "Clergy" at  www.annmedlock.com, under "Works- Arias, Riffs  and Whispers". Just click on the book cover above to go there.