Posts Tagged ‘Music Tanka’

Nigh Not Nearly My Forte

Saturday, April 9th, 2011

Today I have a bit of fun with two pairs of synonyms:

The words nigh and near
synonyms, and yet just one
sizzles and sings.

Near merely describes,
while the soaring nigh evokes —
close but no cigar.

But don’t pity near
it verbs — something nigh can’t do.
This verse now burned out.

*****

Metier, I hear,
is a forte synonym.
What a grand duo —
one traded for the other —
pianometier music.

*****

(Pompted by nigh from Haiku Heights and Weekend Theme’s metier.)

It’s Time To Tanka Beethoven (Tanka)

Sunday, February 27th, 2011

It’s Time To Tanka Beethoven
By Madeleine Begun Kane

The King’s Speech film score
gets Desplat an Oscar nod,
but poor Beethoven
is overlooked once again—
He needs a new publicist.

NOTE: Alexandre Desplat’s Oscar-nominated score for The King’s Speech is dominated by the music of Ludwig van Beethoven, specifically Beethoven’s 7th Symphony and Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 5, the Emperor Concerto. For more information on Beethoven’s frequent appearance in film scores, read Why Beethoven Deserves An Oscar.

Tempo, Tempo

Monday, July 7th, 2008

Prompted to pay special attention to tempo and pacing, I’ve written a tanka made up entirely of Italian musical tempo terms. (At long last my Cal Arts BFA in Music Performance pays off.)

Tempo, Tempo
By Madeleine Begun Kane

Largo, andante,
Allegro ma non troppo,
Accelerando,
Vivace, rallentando,
Allargando al fine.

(You can find more of my musical verse and humor here.)