Photo: Victoria Slotto
Lake Tahoe, Nevada
music at lake tahoe
wind soughs her songs through tops of pines
a lone songbird joins in, counterpoint, riffs in three-quarter time
my heart crashes like symbols, in time with lake-ripples
we share words, poetry, a cool glass of raspberry tea
three hours—too brief a time for all we want to share
so we speak allegro con dolce, pianissimo—and we listen
words sigh away, diminuendo, as i descend the mountain, alone
Musical Notations
allegro: quickly
con dolce: with gentleness
pianissimo: softly
diminuendo: fading away
De Jackson (whimsygismo) and I shared a lovely afternoon at Lake Tahoe last week. It was a joy to meet her face-to-face. I’ve written this for Day 2 of dVerse Poet Pub‘s 5th Anniversary Celebration where I’m hosting an interview with dVerse Co-Founder Claudia Schoenfeld and asking for a Sevenling written on the theme of music. I’ve included three paintings of Claudia’s which you may use for inspiration if you like. Please stop by and catch up with this talented poet/artist.
Photo: V. Slotto Lake Tahoe NV
Photo: De and Victoria
Lake Tahoe, NV
Victoria C. Slotto, Author 
I’ve visited Lake Tahoe several times. It stands alone.
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I can heard the lap of those waves. A splendid sevenling!
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So wonderful that you and De could meet up. I love that it inspired your sevenling. I especially like this line…”my heart crashes like symbols, in time with lake-ripples”.
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Lake Tahoe looks like a place brimming with inspiration for poets! 🙂
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The musical language works so well to describe your conversation. How lovely you two got to meet.
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I enjoyed your musical sevenling of a beautiful afternoon with a kindred spirit…it would be fun to meet other diverse poets face-to-face!
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Isn’t it lovely to meet people whose minds are so compatible, whose words you already enjoy so much? A lovely musical encounter and that sense of three words not being nearly enough…
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depth of music, color, friendship and words touches the soul…a beautiful flow Victoria…
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First, lovely picture and it must have been a great visit. Your poem holds the harmony of friendship.
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HA! I KNEW the punch line before you said it – ‘we share words’ – when I read that line, I knew you meant De. So glad you have shared this with us! (I have a similar romance with Lake Michigan and my hometown on its shores.) As a musician, I really love how you wove the language 🙂
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I just love the musical words you used. Listening to the breeze rustling through the pines…so good!
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I love this – the experience you share with us, the musical quality of the poem, and the mood you evoke. Beautiful.
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oh this is lovely, Victoria – the sevenling, the photos of the lake and of your afternoon meeting 🙂
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I’m so jealous that you got to meet her! What fun. 🙂
This is an absolutely gorgeous poem, from start to finish. I think the second line is my favorite though.
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She is a warm, fun and talented lady. We packed a lot into a few hours. Hope this will be a yearly encounter as I’m only 50 minutes away.
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Simply beautiful.
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What a beautiful place to meet! I love the gentle rhythm of your sevenling, like the lapping of the lake.
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always cool to meet up with another poet… been to Tahoe… beautiful place
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This is absolutely breathtaking 😀 I am so glad the two of you could meet ❤ thank you for sharing 🙂
Lots of love,
Sanaa
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This is perfect. I love the lake as your background and your wonderful musical terminology…and thanks for the notations, very helpful!
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Having raised two musicians, but not being musical myself, I love your use of the terminology here — especially when time is running short!
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Love a music prompt! This is a beauty, Victoria. Thanks for both!
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Oh I do love how you could meet… reminds me that I will put lake Tahoe on my itinerary next time I go to the US… we did a wonderful hike on the California side many years ago… a great memory still lingering.
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Hurry up so I can visit you…I’m getting old! :0)
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Such a beautiful blue place! And your sevenling is outstanding.What a wonderful poem about that meeting – music, poetry, friendship – all moving faster than light. And then you had to come back to reality. Wonderful.
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At this point in life, reality is beautiful, warts and all.
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Yes it is.
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I’ve driven past Tahoe dozens of times over the years; have to stop there once & search for the poetic magic you describe. Incredible to meet other dVerse poets, since we’re strung out like chaff all over the globe.
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Make sure to let me know if you do.
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A lovely photo of you and De, smiles. I admire the musical notes of your sevenling, from the crashes with the lake ripples to the fading away from descending the mountain. I must visit that lake sometime soon!!!
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Oh, do. And we can visit. I’m only 50 minutes away from the North Shore.
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Always so cool to meet another writer in person and put flesh to a voice…I love how you use the musical terms through out…the listening…I want to pause ans do that…to savor connection. ..especially when I was without such conversation while I was overseas
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It’s really hard to deal with those limits in conversation–I lived in France in a place where no one spoke English. My so-so French became proficient very quickly. Too bad I didn’t keep it up.
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so very cool that you had a chance to meet – reminds me of when we met in CA – why didn’t we think about taking a photo…
i love lakes – so much magic in their ripples and song.. thanks for capturing a bit of that song for us… and thanks for the interview… see you later victoria
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Perhaps you and your hubs need to visit, Claudia. A great place for a 2nd or 3rd or…honeymoon. Very romantic.
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So beautiful, Victoria. Our son was married at a friend’s house overlooking Lake Tahoe.
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