Poetry Friday: Lilac Wine

h1 May 2nd, 2008 by eisha

pretty, pretty lilacsRemember last weekend, when I went on the Wine and Herb Fest tour? It turns out a lot of the wineries here in the Fingerlakes do specialty fruit wines. Rhubarb, strawberry, pear, apple, peach, blackberry, cherry… Anything you can think of. Some of it is so sweet it drifts over into cordial territory, but a few of them were really quite lovely.

For some reason, the first time someone said the words “rhubarb wine,” the Jeff Buckley version of the James Shelton song “Lilac Wine” popped into my head. And, as the lovely spring weather has continued and actual lilacs are starting to bloom around here, the song has stayed in my head all week. I happen to love it, so I’m not complaining. In fact, I think I’ll share it with you for poetry friday. Here’s the first couple of verses:

I lost myself on a cool damp night
Gave myself in that misty light
Was hypnotized by a strange delight
Under a lilac tree

I made wine from the lilac tree
Put my heart in its recipe
Makes me see what I want to see
And be what I want to be

You can read the rest of the lyrics here. But really, this is a song that needs to be heard, not read. I know a lot of artists have covered it, but the only one I’m really familiar with is Jeff Buckley. *sigh* Man, I did love to hear that man sing.

Here’s an oddly hypnotic video someone made for the song. I like it in a way – it suits the mood, and lets the song take the focus. But don’t watch too closely, or you’ll realize you’re passing same tree over and over.

The always-poetic Kelly is handling the Poetry Friday roundup over at Big A little a. Poetry goes very well with wine, you know. Works with white or red… even champagne. Especially with that little strawberry in the bottom of the glass? I love that. Right, anyway… go on over to Kelly’s and see what everyone else is sharing today.





7 comments to “Poetry Friday: Lilac Wine”

  1. I heard a song from “Grace” on the radio the other day and was reminded how 20,000 kinds of awesome that CD is. Man, I wish he were still here on this earth and making music.


  2. “Lilac Wine” is new to me. The video was indeed hypnotic and I’ll be drifting on fruitiness for the rest of the day . . .


  3. I need a nap. That was like a lullaby.


  4. Jules, I know. It’s not like I would wish his death on anyone, but when I look at all the mediocre singers out there still breathing, I do have to wonder… why did it have to be him?

    Jama, if you haven’t heard much Jeff Buckley, I do think he’s worth investigating further. If you couldn’t tell from the previous comments.

    Sara, good call – it is like a lullaby, isn’t it?


  5. Ahhh, Jeff Buckley. Big sigh. Listening to him singing, poetry, wine, that’s a very sad but beautiful evening. “Its such a sad and beautiful life.”

    Such a talent. Such a shame. At least we have some of his music to console ourselves with.


  6. Too true, rmpreston. Thank goodness we have what little music he managed to make.


  7. LOVE Jeff Buckley. I’m in agreement with everyone else…Why him?

    Thanks for posting this.


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