Ariadne’s Notes: The World Poetry Café Radio Show on August 30, 1-2 PM PST CFRO 100.5 FM, welcomed feature Roger Blenman with a special tribute to the Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin, Also Victor Swartzman interviewed Ariadne Sawyer on her upcoming book: Love Poems  to the World, Dream Offerings. She read some of the poems and talked about the various kinds of dream, lucid , pre-cognitive and healing among others and her journey to create the book. with the dream mentorship of soul sister Vera Manuel and Elder Gabriel Bartleman.  Music by Enrico Renz https://worldpoetry.ca/?p=9337 and Don Afero https://worldpoetry.ca/?p=9678 with Ariadne’s song. 

LISTEN TO THE SHOW HERE!

Roger R. Blenman

Roger will be producing and a feature in the World Poetry Celebration of Afro Canadians at WORD on September 30 at 1:00 PM along with poetess and community advocate !Kona at the Vancouver Public Library .

-Roger R. Blenman
Barbadian-born Canadian author, playwright, spoken word artist, poet, theatre director and secondary school teacher. Has degrees in Science and in Education from the University of Toronto.
Most recent novel, Dead’er published 2015 by Hamilton Books. Other work has been published/broadcast/performed: CBC-North by Northwest, Scarborough Fair/University of Toronto Press, Antigonish Review, Bluesprint/Arsenal Pulp Press and others.
born Canadian author, playwright, spoken word artist, poet, theatre director and secondary school teacher. He has degrees in Science and in Education from the University of Toronto.
Most recent novel, Dead’er published 2015 by Hamilton Books. Other work has been published/broadcast/performed: CBC-North by Northwest, Scarborough Fair/University of Toronto Press, Antigonish Review, Bluesprint/Arsenal Pulp Press and others.

Aretha Franklin 

Who are you to mourn
the queen
when all the other ‘warble in the throat wanna-bees’
been down-loaded and dismissed,
she remains

When all the other soul singers, sold-out
and tossed their racially ambiguous locks
over their shameless shoulders
she still reigns

What can I say in tribute to my only monarch
that she has not already articulated herself.

Do I need to stop and “think”
Do I need to show ‘respect’
Am I in a ‘chain of fools’
‘saying a little prayer,’ ‘till you come back to me’

I am going to tell my lover
that ‘it wont’ be long’
that ‘I am willing to forgive’
and that he makes me feel, ‘like a natural woman;’

You taught me soul Aretha
I will tell my world that
‘you send me’
‘one step ahead’
on ‘the freeway of love’

Today I sing Aretha
Today I am “Rock Steady,”
in these ‘ever changing times’

Today I sing the Blues
and I am never going to let you go
Aretha.
you are, in, of, and all, soul.
You are Aretha the first.

Will you send me
where you are?

I heard Aretha this morning.
In my heaven all the angels
are as beautiful as she.
There’s lines of sliver in the black of their hair
Their lips are full
They have breasts and cheeks of southern brown

And Aretha is the archangel at the heavenly piano
she tempers the soul among the seraphim
And the notes she sings
echo from the celestial to the terrestrial

“You better think. Think!
what you trying to do to me

“You better think. Think!
what you trying to do to you

“Let your mind go, let yourself be free
Freedom. Freedom. Freedom.”

Oh Ms Franklin
I have never loved a man
the way that ‘baby, I love you.

Roger Blenman (C) All rights reserved.