I can’t say I knew Ktahdn Vesuvino, whom we called “KT” very well, but I certainly came to appreciate him over a lengthy period of time as a Haven Campfire regular (a safe haven and open mic for singers, songwriters, musicians and poets). A place also open to those of us who appreciate such artists.
KT was an artist, a gifted poet and choreographer extraordinaire. Each week his gentle, melodic voice would, through his artistry and imagination, transport us to new worlds, new experiences. It might be a dawn walk along a mountain trail or a treatise on creating sand sculpture on a windy beach. It might be about the effect of sunlight on a falling leaf, a slow walk through a sleeping town or the lulling effect of the clackety-clack of trains in the distance.
In addition to his ability to weave us into the varying landscapes trough his verse and narrative – he also developed a keen interest in choreography and created memorable and sparkling dances which he aligned with avant garde jazz music that had us all joyfully dancing in the Haven grove as gracefully as any professional dancer.
As with much in life, I fell into a complacency born of routine and grew accustomed to KT being at the campfire each week. KT would stand and test his audio stream with the words “I hear myself” and we’d respond with our acknowledgement that yes, we could hear him too. God was in his heaven and all was well with the world.
So it was a shock to teleport into Haven one Sunday last year and be quietly advised that KT had passed away, suddenly, a few days before.
It was as if part of our world had been torn away. Behind our avatars, we all grieved the loss of a friend. A gentle man. A generous artist who freely shared his gift with his friends. It has been a while now and I still miss his voice, his imagery, his creativity and his humanity. I will always miss it.
Fortunately for us, KT was recorded at a set he performed for the Hotel Chelsea in 2021 and we can access it on Youtube (you will find it below) – we can hear his voice, his poetry and see him dance his inspired dances.
And, if only for a short while, we hear his voice.
“I HEAR MY VOICE”
(a personal tribute to KT)
There was no farewell
No raging against the dying of the light
from such a soul
A gentle
wry observer of humanity
Choreographer
Storyteller
Poet
Sculptor of ephemeral frozen flames of sand.
No farewell
just a sudden absence
His antlers a mystic touch
See him supine at the campfire
toes to flame,
head to rock,
antlers to sky
Then an abrupt leap
to stand tall
intoning:
“I hear myself”
His voice like the soothing embrace of the shoreline
gently lapping
hypnotic
coaxing into barefoot adventures
of city, forest, beach,
a train trip
a car trip
in rain, wind, sun
a lulling
immersion into KT’s heart
Or we are dancing
via his golden dancers
Gyrating jazz ballet
transporting and transforming us
for a brief few moments
into works of art
as ephemeral as sand sculpture.
In his absence
I still travel his lands
Admire his works
And when I sit still
I hear his voice
(noowun wind – Sept 2022)
KT in dance and song….. “IN THE WiND”