Sonnets to Sundry Notes of Music

HEILIGE DANKE GESANG Budapest Quartet New York 1945

"After great pain, a formal feeling comes" - Emily Dickinson

Emily had the faces right: eyes not meeting
Mourning in the evening of the world.
Audience members thinking in their black
"It's so strange that Joe won't be coming back"

SHOSTAKOVITCH LENINGRAD ADAGIO

Music began in a dream
Music began in a scream
Music was born in water and blood
And so shall music end.
And after the end a solitary flute.
Music was born in water and fire
Which shall conspire
To return when all the ice is gone.

YEHUDI MENUHIN *SPIELT* BACH

It still emerges from the analogue scratch
And thankfully drowns out Starbuck's dreck
This moment of life is nice little patch
In a century and a life already a wreck.
The two-note theme was quite a surprise
Back in the days of the eldern Bach
The good flock got more than they asked
The pastor was upset he called for the prise
To be given to another and less challenging guy
Like good Georg Phillipe or somebody like that
Who doesn't mess with your mind as mice by cat
Who doesn't come to the place of wrath and tears.
Finding there nameless feelings beyond this world
The name that is of Redemption for which ransom is owed.