Last evening, I attended a Tony Bennett concert on the Biltmore Estate. It was a magical evening set on the South lawn of the house. As my friends and I sat in the audience, the mountains rose and the sky was lit with color. It was a wonderful experience of music, nostalgia and beauty. My desire is to share some of that with all of you.

 

Ninety-One

 

The Stage

The people

The murmur

People settling

Bandstand is erect waiting

in anticipation.

Audience shuffling, moving

Looking

over right shoulder

Another Show

spectacular in beauty

Mountains in repose

intense sunset lighting sky —

Reds, oranges, yellows

The Bandstand —

The notes, rich music fills ears

As color fill eyes.

A voice, his voice. Amazing

His voice rises up

Transports listeners

Back, back to another time

Perhaps a more

innocent period

Big Band, Band Leader

Conducts

Men, women dance

away evenings

Some fall —

in and out of love.

Music fills ears

Color fills eyes

Spectacular!

He sings. He sings at 91.

His voice rises up —

He is enjoying himself

And happy to be alive!

—Poem and Photographs Copyright Barbara Mattio 2017