Mercury, Wandering Star

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R._N._Taber

Having been partially deaf since the age of four, I am not as avid a music fan as I might have been otherwise. Even so, a friend persuaded me to accompany him to a Queen concert once and I have to say it was a truly, unforgettably, enjoyable experience, not least for the sheer magnetism of Freddie Mercury; a  gay man, he oozed charisma .... generating adrenaline in audiences around the world to endure a lifetime.

On the evening of 24 November 1991, Freddie Mercury died aged 45 at his home in London; cause of death was bronchial pneumonia as a consequence of AIDS.

It is so true what they say about music and entertainment breaking down certain social taboos, especially where homophobia happens to be one of them.

Now, Mercury, as you may well know, is one of the five planets known to the ancients. They called these planets "wandering stars." Mercury may be seen as an evening "star" near where the sun has set, or as a morning "star" near where the sun will rise. ... The planet is named for Mercury, the Roman messenger of the gods. (ref. Wikipedia.)

The poem is a villanelle.

MERCURY,  WANDERING STAR

On stage, extrovert extraordinaire

masking a shy personality,

singer-songwriter beyond compare

Bringing to Rock, magic in the air.

a star valuing his privacy;

on stage, extrovert, extraordinaire

Fronting Queen with a talent as rare

as any in music’s history,

singer song-writer beyond compare

Winning hearts, minds everywhere,

no matter his sexuality;

on stage, extrovert extraordinaire

High on roll calls sounding anywhere

to rate the likes of Freddie,

singer-songwriter beyond compare

Bold icon of Rock, Supremo of Flair

and making music history …

On stage, extrovert extraordinaire,

singer-songwriter beyond compare

Copyright R N Taber 2019