city melodies (senryu)

In Montréal like many cities, there are many musicians who apply for a license to play in  subways and certain downtown locations.  This musician was at my Métro stop on my way to work and he would play such lovely sultry music. Imagine starting your day at work with this? Well, it was so hard to walk past him without leaning on the wall and listen to that sax. But I couldn't stay too long IF the escalator was out of service  I would have to climb those 4 flights of stairs.

© Clr '14

Commuters

entertained

underground

Last summer in the city of Montreal at this same Métro stop, Station Laurier,  the Ville de Montréal placed a piano. It was left there for anyone who felt like giving it a go. Some played chopsticks and sometimes I would arrive and classical music would wash over me...such a pleasant surprise. One would expect hot, muggy, concrete streets...and yes, we have that too but what a lovely change to hear music, sit on a bench nearby and listen. sometimes it was a child with their mother attempting to show Maman what he or she still remembered from music lessons.  But another time there was the piano man and two men jamming just for fun on the park bench across from that piano!  Très cool!

© Clr "12

© Clr '13

mid-day interlude

city street recital

men at play

Two streets away from work there is city parking lot and a small park next to it.  Last week I tried to park my car there and thought it fishy that there were only 4 cars on the lot. When I came to feed the metre, it had a plastic cover over it and a note saying only for monthly subscriber's. Hmm, I thought, well, I can`t take a chance and get a 50$ ticket and luckily a woman passed me in the lot and offered me her spot on the street because she was leaving. I love it when nice things like that happen!

There were three huge movie trailers parked at the end of the park and then I understood why the parking lot was not available. As I passed the park I saw a note saying if  "you cross this area, you are accepting to be filmed."  Cool! I might be a movie star!

In the evening after my shift, I took a photo of another cool piano in that park. I know when school starts in less than two weeks, they may remove it, so I really wanted that snapshot.

© Clr '14

city dwellers

regal among trees 

ivory keys

© Tournesol '14