"Somewhere (from West Side Story)": Issa's Sunday Service, #110

This week's Sunday Service selection is something of anomaly, catching Tom Waits in an embryonic period when his style was still developing with what is, for me, mixed results.  The song is "Somewhere" (from West Side Story) and, on paper, this is a marriage made in Beat heaven.

Maybe it's me but the deep irony that is the juxtaposition of the cracked down and out Waits' persona and this classic Romeo and Juliet inspired tune just doesn't quite connect.  Am I wrong?

Since I've evoked Shakespeare, or rather Sondheim, Robbins, Laurents, Bernstein, and Waits have, here's a little something entitled "Romeo is Bleeding" from the Waits' album that also has "Somewhere," Blue Valentine.



Ok, we can't do this halfway.  Let's let 'em take it home:



Um, one step too far - West Side Story (the Horror Trailer):




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This week's featured poem comes from Lilliput Review #81, first published in August 1996.  A little fable, speaking of horror, with a very hard kernel of truth.  Just look around; Lyn Stefenhagens has.

What Every Woman Knows
  Eve knew.  Helen knew
  what every woman knows.

  Every garden grows
  some bay, some rue,
  a line of yew;
  one blemished rose,
  one shroud of crows.

     Lyn Stefenhagens

will I be the next one
you caw over?
crows

Issa
translated by David G. Lanoue

best,
Don

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