Hi Mike. I love your descriptions of this woman singing amid sound and fury.

And while I appreciate the need of a curtain to create behind– or in this case, a wall of noise to sing songs, without a doubt, I would enjoy your songs much more than the screaming of a leaf blower. Of course I would never want to change someone’s creative process. However, I’ve spent over half of my life as a rock drummer. This is a noisy pursuit. Especially for neighbors. Over the years I’ve learned to be extremely considerate of others’ peace and quiet. Good communication, sound proofing rooms, designated rehearsal times– all these things assist in not ruining someone’s sleep or dinner party.

But when you’ve got three, sometimes five, leaf blowers whining every autumn day–throughout the day (because a few leaves fell), I can’t help but think, well. . . see “The Sirens of the Fall.” It is comforting to think that perhaps some of the operators may be composing operas, symphonies or poems– but to me, I think picking up the drums might be a better wall of sound to create behind. At least you can dance to a wafting drum kit.

Sure, leaf blowers are handy, and I’m not completely against them. Why don’t we all agree on some designated times, say from 1-3pm on Tuesday and Saturday? I’ll play drums, you play the leaf blower and we’ll write songs.

She worked in a chicken processing plant thirty five years. She was a lung-gunner. The noise from the machinery on the line was deafening. She wrote songs in her head, and sang them at full breath in her private silence in the cover of loudness until they were perfect in pitch and lyric. Much like Bach. Who composed in his head. I have heard her sing some of those songs while she prepared her pullits. Her songs were purely Devine. All unwritten, and now gone forever with her passing.

Could it not be that there are people who create or take advantage of loudness to cover their fear to compose in silence?

I know that I often sing while blowing leaves. There is no cover in the rake.

I’m torn.

As a Sound Engineer and location Mixer Recordist, I immediately identified with this passage. I can’t tell you how many times we sat around and waited for a Production Assistant to come up with the magic number of dollars to bribe one of those guys into shutting up for a few hours. It can be maddening.

Then there’s the homeowner-with-a-half-acre-of-foliage-to-rake-damn-my-shoulder-is-killing-me side of me that really appreciates my commercial-grade gas-powered backpack leaf blower.

Shit, am I that guy? When did that happen?

I’m selling my leaf blower.

Or, better yet – perhaps I should bury it ; )