09 February 2012

staircase poem 6

rather have a point of entry
text vest than a dunce cap
and made to sit in classroom
corner—poet seems to have odd
awe of unfathomable magic
too deep to sound with rock
on a rope & education
not the schools of fishes
in the unseen sea beyond
mountain & valley river
mouth & the shore washed

hear that mournful violin
feel its aching cry pull haunts
from the woodwork brick & stone
snatches of voice & piano
drift from the auditorium
follow the black arrows
ignore the path closed/
detour around/ art gallery

sign on this gallery wall
to install bejewel weekend
clearance sale: store closed

downstairs in dance studio
really little littles gather
fuzzy teddy bears on the barre
their hands stretch up to reach
& their gaze with longing
when they must sit in a circle
at centre of the studio's floor
violin lesson ended and now
a woman with grey & magenta scarf
is playing a faster fiddle
small reel frag o're & o're

No comments: