Pud Houstoun, poet, painter, and artist of Greenwich Village was a frequent and inspiring presence at “Bach at Noon" Organ Meditations until her death in 2008.
Occasionally, she would share her work with me and over several years put these little gems in my hands as she would leave the church.
“O Lamn Gott – BWV 618
Patrick Allen, Organist
From a vast quiet, the celestial chords
of J.S. Bach swell in harmony and
dissonance, the treble sings.
His spirit graces each Gothic arch
of the nave, the side aisles the sun-
glazed transept; saints and apostles
glow in sorrow or ecstasy. Final chords
resound to a crescendo. A women bows
her head, clasps her face, weeping.”
— Pud Houstoun
“Bach at Noon
Like throbbing waves of the sea pounding rocky cliffs
we are spirited with hope triumphal, being transformed by
the chromatic sounds of Patrick Alan, on the organ with
such passion and dedication to Bach’s genius.”
— Pud Houstoun
“Allabreve
Patrick Allan, Organist
Here, in a vast cavern of the nave,
the organ swells with trembling
chords, the treble sings.
Bach graces our presence
as though forgiving our sins;
granting us peace of mind and
Body, a benediction of harmony to
celebrate a kind of resurrection. Deep
breaths and sighs, unknown till now.”
— Pud Houstoun
“Bach by Lantern Light
The full leaved trees crowd round
me, yet I am as among the stars: Vega,
directly overhead, the North Star
staring through the straggling elm
and Mars, in its tint of red, all arch
above me in their order, the cello
quivers, flutters, pulsing a divine
song of sorrow and joy on this earth.”
— Pud Houstoun
“Tremulant Organ
Patrick Allen, Organist
Out of a vast chill silence, the organ
booms like thunder, triumphant in
harmony and dissonance, rising, falling
with trembling chords of redemption and joy,
crowning the power of Johann Sebastian Bach;
a deep breath of forgiveness and hope brims.
The organ voices, flute, piano, horn, strings
fill each towering Gothic arch, down the nave
through the side aisles to the transept of stained
glass, sun glazed. Spangles of rainbow colors
glorify the saints and apostles, their robes shine
like satin, their faces glow in ecstasy or sorrow.
A sparse group of music lovers sit in meditation,
one women bows her head, clasps her face,
perhaps weeping, or, a revelation comes.”
— Pud Houstoun
“Haiku
Vast silent transept. . .
spangles of stained glass
organ crowning J.S. BACH
to – Patrick Allen,
organist”
— Pud Houstoun
Pud Houstoun, a long time member of the Jefferson Market Poetry Workshop, passed away (October, 2008). She will be missed by us all. I thought of Pud as a true New York City force of nature. She was indomitable in spirit and energy always going somewhere. An award winning poet and painter. She recently received a coveted POLLACK-KRASNER grant. Her paintings have appeared in many shows and her poems have been in Midwest Poetry Review, Rattapallax,, Token, Acorn, Frogpond, Modern Haiku, Mobius and many others.
For more information about the life and other works of Pud Houstoun, please contact her daughter, Juliana Potts.