Sadly Gay

Gregory Baranoff 1951 (Shanghai)

July 23

Sadly Gay

Today’s melancholy took on extra weight
When I heard Tony Bennett had passed away at 95.
So, I youtubed his greatest hits,
Listened and relistened to the one about the city by the bay
It left me more melancholy, more sadly gay,
Reminiscing memories, the mix of sad and happy ones,
While distracting myself in NCIS reruns.

I have left my heart,
With many people, in many places, over time,
Yet, it's not my time. I’ve cities and places to explore,
Friends to visit, handshakes and hugs to give,
More adventures to embark on, bucket list items to check off.
When it is my time, there’ll be one more trail to hike up to get to the top of my hill.
One last sunset to watch slowly melt into the horizon.

When it is my time, there’ll be one more trail to hike up to get to the top of my hill,
One last sunset to watch slowly melt into the horizon.

About this poem

upon Tony Bennett's passing

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Written on July 21, 2023

Submitted by gbaranoff on July 22, 2023

: 54 sec read
: 53 Views

Quick analysis:

Scheme	xxxaabb xxxxxCD CD
Closest metre	Iambic heptameter
Characters	864
Words	181
Stanzas	3
Stanza Lengths	7, 7, 2

Full analysis for Sadly Gay »

Gregory Baranoff

Gregory Baranoff was born in Shanghai, China to Russian parents and came to the United States in the early sixties. more…

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ilovewrighting
This poem stuck with me. Not just for a good reference to an iconic star, but for the repetition of the last two lines. It has a great pace, a great arc to the poem. It felt melancholy, "sadly gay" in the first stanza but then gets a hopeful tone when the second stanza starts. I also like the repetition of the final line, about there always being more to be done and to be seen, even when the time comes. Took me a while to place, but some of it reminded me of the tone of one of my favorites, The Lovesong of J Alfred Prufrock, by TS Eliot. You struck an excellent balance of being aware of the passage of time, while also wanting to cherish every moment. more »
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"Sadly Gay" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 28 Apr. 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem/166104/sadly-gay>.

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