VoiceBox: A Poem

Shattered but happy after pulling off first ever full-scale fundraising event for VoiceBox, my weekly public radio project on KALW 91.7 FM all about singing, last night. Leah Garchik, the fabulous San Francisco Chronicle columnist who co-hosted the soiree with me, touched me deeply by penning some sweet and funny verses for the occasion. Leah read out her poem infront of the assembled crowd at Salle Pianos in Hayes Valley, San Francisco. It went like this:

What new on the Rialto
Inquires the nosy contralto
The venue is local
For melodies vocal
For tenor or even an alto

A trill or a glide or a croon
There's never a way you can ruin
A ditty or chant
Or even a rant
As long as it's set to a tune

So if you're gay or a breeder
The songs will say it in meter
The angriest cur
Is likely to purr
In yodels or even in lieder

The process can seem quite remote
But experts are swift to take note
The connoisseur's pleasure
Finds something to treasure
When music comes out of the throat

In elevators, even in showers
Alone your ability towers
The phrases come pouring
Crescendoes are soaring
My God, you have wonderful powers

But aiming the soul to unfetter
In chorus, it's even much better
And just like the birds
With tweets or with words
Each song-mate's a tuneful abettor

It's true that in music and life

When pitching-in chances are rife
The lesson is oft
A solo is soft
But harmony overcomes strife

Each broadcast deserves an ovation
And happy support from the station
But even while eager
Resources are meager
So thanks for your every donation

Because she is nuts about singing
This gathering Chloe is flinging
VoiceBox deserves praise
And bucks she can raise
The registers should be ka-chinging.

Thank you Leah! And thanks to everyone who came out and supported last night's event.