Choral settings by BARNEY JONES: the first is performed by BIG MOUTH: Joan Ellis, Pat Farrell, Kim Fowler, Barney Jones, Michael Peppe, Mark Summers, & Dyana Vukovic. BIG MOUTH, alas, no longer exists, but Barney still composes, as we hear in RHYMES WITH NUCULAR.

from:
MIRROR IMAGES: GHAZALS OF GHALIB
3 / THE NECESSITIES
(translated from the 19th century Urdu of Ghalib by G. P. Skratz, music by Barney Jones)

In the various colors of tulip, sweetbrier & rose,
in each one, surrender to spring as needed.

We learn art to paint the moon in the faces
of beautiful women we meet as needed.

What kind of scoundrel drinks for fun?
Take shots of amnesia, day & night, only as needed.

Bend your head to the jug, a pillow as needed, in the time we forget.
In the hour of prayer, keep the head faced as needed.

So no matter what seems to pour from the cup,
it's himself the sage drinks as needed.

Words & music © 2001 by Barney Jones & G. P. Skratz

Hear this piece performed (from the CD, Mirror Images):
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RHYMES WITH "NUCULAR"
(words by G. P. Skratz; music composed & performed by Barney Jones)

o our schools are vermicular;
our atmosphere's vehicular,
but here's where we're still stellular:
our muscular, nucular bomb.

our diplomacy is jocular;
the economy's somnambular,
but one thing's spectacular:
our muscular, nucular bomb.

yes the empire's crepuscular,
but we've still got our popular--
as they say in the vernacular--
our muscular, nucular bomb:

Words & music © 2004 by Barney Jones & G. P. Skratz

Hear this piece performed:
PLAY/DOWNLOAD

ARUNDO the contemporary poetry & music page

SMOOTH TOAD twisted roots & cast-iron croonin'

BIG MOUTH choral settings by Barney Jones

HAL ("EDDIE") DINSRATZ in which we mix & match traditions

THE STORE buy our stuff or hire us

HOMAGE the Arundo Salon salutes past masters

LINKS in which we visit our pals out there in cyberspace