Category Archives: #Vancouver Poetry#Holly Burke & The NATURALS #Burke’s Blog

Looking forward to Frankies and the Blue Frog next year!🦋🐣🦄🐋⭐️🎹🎷🕌⛲️ ah…yes…

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I know I know it’s a ways off and all but we can write new music and practice like mad and perhaps dream of an OPERA featuring a Sasquatch with a lisp in there somewhere as well…and why not?! Frankies will be with Holly Burke & The Naturalz on Sunday January 18th, 8 pm. tickets here: http://www.frankiesjazz.com and Valentine’s Day at the Blue Frog will be with Don Stewart and Friends. It’ll be a total blast with lots of room for solos, yes? fun fun fun, and what good company. In other news my poem-song “Love is a Traveller” will be published in the upcoming winter edition of Persimmon Magazine. Yea…it feels good to be fruitful and flute-full, despite life’s challenges. My heart and my flute Seraphina are happy. She’s always been my passport to good things. Let’s see what happens next!

The Naturalz

At this interesting and evolving time here in Canada, I am indeed grateful for so much, the band! Kristian Alexandrov on piano, Randall Stoll, drums, Brent Gubbels on bass, Nick Apivor on vibes (that’s the full festival band) and most of all my beloved Bill Runge on saxophone. I couldn’t imagine having more compassionate and talented players to create with, or a more wonderful audience. Our colourful friends and family, my grand-cat Ishi who was lost AND found today (!) for having hands and a brain, any kind of brain, and a body that is able to dance and explore and do things I like to do. It’s so wonderful to be in touch with you and share our creativity with you!

Ishi the wise

Say…it’s not too late for a fall poem is it? there’s still some sumac out there – like this.

Flames of Sumac

The fall brushed air swirls around my face and ruffles my hair

I see runes written in the moss that grows

along the stone wall by the lagoon

There are dandelions still standing

stretching as long as they can

toward the falling green and golden light

flames of sumac

be inside it

and the wind lifts these pages ))) )))) )))))

Wishing all of you fine folks a very good festive season, and good cheer in 2026 and beyond! 🎄🌹🦒🐰🌈🌟🏆🎹🎷🌎 See you at Frankies January 18th🌟💥 and the Blue Frog on Valentines February 14 ❤️❤️

hb and the Naturalz ~ the end continues...ok I borrowed that from Spinal Tap 2 🤣 – highly recommended!

*merch is available here: please do! https://hollyburkeandbillrunge.bandcamp.com/album/dreamride

https://hollyburkeandbillrunge.bandcamp.com/album/nature-girl

‘The Flute Player’ by Angela Brown

Celebrating Spring: A Poetry Showcase at VPL

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Hi Dear Readers,

Spring is sprung- da grass is riz

I wunda where da boidies iz?


I’ll try to do better than that at my poetic maiden voyage April 1. Seriously though. Spring is going beserk without much coaxing from the weather at all. Yet there is…more light. Let’s move towards it!


I’ll be reading selections from the collection I’m working towards entitled “Travelogue.” Come on by! there will be four readers. The Montalbano Room, 8th floor. 6:30-8pm. I would leuuuv to see you there!

May you have a Spring in your step, dear reader.

The Poetess of Lost Lagoon*

*(which is not lost – it’s right there on the map!)

(Artist: Simone Viegas, Portugal )


Click here for the full event details!

Reunion Concert: Experience the Naturals Live Friday January 3

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Hi There Wonderful People Third is a funny word now I look at it. Must be a truly ancient brit one methinks. Here I am holding the flute. amazing. next we’re in the pool. very very groovy indeed. Such great smiles! can’t wait to share the Naturals music with you again 🙂 at Vancouver’s premier Jazz Club, Frankies! and warm Season’s Greetings to all 🎄🌟🌲✨🎄🌟

It feels so amazing to be singing and playing again! I mean what’s ten years between friends? I hope this wee note finds you well and happy and full of mischief! We’re alive! and happy to be so. There’s going to be a great outpouring of beautiful Naturals music at our much anticipated reunion Concert Friday January 3rd 8 pm at Frankie’s Premiere Jazz Club 755 Beatty St. Please do join us for this exciting concert and groove to our greatest hits (visualize scrolling titles here with deep male voice-over- lol) thrill to “Serengeti” drift away with “River of Stars” be warmed by “Let me Stand Next to your Fire” as well as gorgeous and tuneful new material as well. Get your tickets ➡️ here ⬅️ for a passionate night of musical magic and mystery with the Naturals!

me actually singing

Bill Runge – saxophones and inspiration 🌟🔱💫👑

Randall Stoll – drums and heartbeat 🥁 ba-doom ba-doom

Kristian Alexandrov – piano – our magic sorcerer – ha!🔥🌪️

Brent Gubbels – bass – holding it all down ⬇️ and 🆙

Nick Apivor – good vibes and percussion

Holly Burke – voice and flute – so very delighted to participate🕊️🪭






So let’s be together and wish each other a very happy New Year and beyond ))) )))) ))))) 🌟🐣🌈🕊️🌴  hb and los naturales sending out love to all but especially you 🆙🌻🐋  pass it along 🙂 and see you there!





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August is the Ripest Month🍓🍑🍇🍋🍉🥭🫐🍒

				

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August is the ripest month…





when our fruit becomes heavy and round





and fully sugared ~





so full of yearning and heat and life





you don’t know what to do with it all





like the dusky hues of an August evening





my purple plum’s tangy skin hides the sweet and tawny fruit within





clinging to a stone 





and I realize





this is the pinnacle





Perseid meteor showers above 





and heat upon the land





nothing could be richer





deeper or more magnificent





than this moment in time





from amber – to umber – to ombre





August is the ripest month





HB 2024





Thanks for reading, friends. 





Let me know if you enjoyed it!





holshouse@shaw.ca






			

	
	



			
				


	

		
Happy Valentino Day ❤️🐫🌹

				

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Dear readers,

A little poem came to me this morning.


With a stretch and a yawn

the new day dawns

towards a hazy tawny light


A blanket of soft cloud above

 tucks us in and makes us right


And so we fall asleep again,

 for one more lovely dream…


Of Rudolph Valentino,

 chocolate kisses and cream


Of red red roses and cooing doves

 and another day, another way and another chance to love!


screen-shot-2017-02-14-at-1-20-41-pm


And friends if Valentine’s Day isn’t all that you want… or for any reason, I’d like to offer you my “Soothie” recipe. What is a Soothie? It is a deliciously soothing night time drink:


• Warm 4 cups of your favourite milk on the stove. (Any kind of milk will do – my favourite is vanilla soy.)


• Add in a tablespoon of vanilla and two tablespoons of Horlicks malted milk (it’s a Brit thing – but also works well without)


• Pour and share! (Or drink it all yourself while writing poetry and listening to relaxing music)

			

	
	



			
				


	

		
Cherry Blossom Festival

				

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Holly Burke performs at the Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival this week, and in April!

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It’s Cherry Blossom Time!

Hello Dear Friends, and happy Haiku to you! What is haiku? Well if you’d like to know more, you absolutely have to join internationally acclaimed dancer Yayoi Hirano and I to experience the poetry, petals, movement and music. Read on…

You’re invited to a delightfully intimate performance I am involved in. This will be the world premiere of Haiku Mime, a whimsical physical interpretation of haiku poetry submitted from around the world. Weaving text read by yours truly around the expressive movements of Yayoi Hirano, I love our spontaneous interplay as we illuminate these modern haiku poems together. Please join us and be a part of the blossoming of this novel cultural collaboration.


Performance Dates and Times:


Burrard Station Courtyard

March 24: 12:30 pm

(Free Admission)


Van Dusen Gardens

April 9: 11:00 a.m.

April 10: 3:00 p.m.

(Japan Fair Admission $8-$14)


And lastly, thanks to everyone who kindly contributed to our Indiegogo campaign, moving Holly Burke and The Naturals closer to completing our second recording. We’ll resume work on “Playground” as soon as I’m over my concussion. Thank you for all your good wishes!


Copyright © 2016 Holly Burke and The Naturals, All rights reserved.

You are one of my beloved fans!yayoi mime 2 square small


Mar'06 logo 11-18_sm
April 9-10 Sakura Festival


 


 

			

	
	



			
				


	

		
To Blog or Not to Blog…that is the question

				

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To blog, or not to blog – that is the question:

Whether ’tis nobler in the mind to suffer

The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune

Or to take arms against a sea of troubles,

And by opposing end them. To die-to sleep-

No more; and by a sleep to say we end

The heartache, and the thousand natural shocks

That flesh is heir to. ‘Tis a consummation

Devoutly to be wish’d. To die-to sleep.


Act 11 sc.1 Hamlet, Bill Shakespeare


Well, the answer is TO BE silly…it always is!


I received my new instructions just this morning.


The right answer is, ” TO BE.”LIGHT

			

	
	



			
				


	

		
So You Like My Poetry

				

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ok. that’s cool. Being with you is all I’ve ever wanted.


Like tasting the first ripe cherry of the season


or breathing in the first wild white rose growing


in tangled leafy thatches down by the lagoon


the total immersion of my senses that you are


walking barefoot, hand in hand, over a soft emerald carpet of grass.


 


 


barefootgrassHB 2015 for Otto