Words Strike Me

I’m tucked up in bed at the moment with my laptop, writing this entry. Now that I’m here, I realize that I’ve been looking forward to doing this all day. It’s not so much that I have something of substance to say tonight, but that I enjoy the simple practice of writing.

Unfortunately, I rarely save time to play with words just for fun. And now I have an excuse to because I have to set aside writing time if I’m going reach my blogging goal. It’s a win win!

Tonight I keep thinking about how words strike me.

Yesterday, I went with my friends Chris and S to see Margaret Garner, an opera with lyrics by Toni Morrison. As a general rule, I don’t like opera, but this one sparked my interest because Morrison is one of my favorite authors, and the story of Margaret Garner inspired her book Beloved, which is also a favorite of mine.

The opera lacked the punch I hoped it would have, and it didn’t hang together well. But I did appreciate parts of it. The fusion of southern negro spirituals with operatic style, for example, was fascinating. And the lyrics! Morrison has this phenomenal talent for creating sharp contrasts using simple words in unexpected ways. Her command of language, and the resulting clarity can’t come easy. But she makes it look easy. I admire that. The lyrics made the opera for me.

“But opera isn’t about lyrics,” Chris argued. “It’s about listening to the music. The music speaks directly to the soul.”

“Words can speak to the soul too,” I said.

“Yes, but through the mind first.”

I’m not sure I agree with that. I’ve had words speak directly to my heart and soul because they drive, inspire, and complement the actions that matter.