The Wonderful Viola Player


To surrender & cradle at the same time. Even the shape

of the instrument is hers, sleeping beneath her chin

like a small woman. And here, daughters fresh as

violets, v cornuta, so-called violas of the garden.

The eldest, the soprano opens her mouth making red zeros.

Obbligato. That Degas woman, her lovely pink mouth,

Her eyes somewhere else. She imagines herself eating

A plum. That eternal whole note. The skull houses great

streams of air. How the shape of the face makes music.

Because the bones of young girls are hollow when they

close their eyes. They are flying now. The door wide

open. Somewhere a man is smoking cherry tobacco. Plates

thrown across a room by the mistress of Cremona. Agitato.

Because this is music for cellos. And this chorus mad

With Heaven.


Lenny DellaRocca

Back to the Astrophysicist's Tango Partner Speaks

This page is hosted by Geocities