Selected Poems
Musical Escape
We read the daily papers, so it was no surprise
when not-so-secret police, with song warrants up their sleeves,
showed up at the concert hall, where every other window
had been propped wide open on purpose.
When the rude knocking began at concert hall door, we ran to the window
to see from our cross street, next door, second floor room and a half.
The conductor's gestured greetings only delayed the inevitable, when
the police men barged past him, wanting to arrest the newly made criminals.
The neighbors Victrola played
Shostakovich Fifth Symphony.
The musicians released their fleeing instruments
like freed balloons into a welcoming air.
First, the strings floated violins in lines. The woodwinds followed
and oboed around the corner. The brass turned left and trumpeted
down to the river. At last, in the nick of time, the percussion section
squeezed through, drummed over the buildings and just out of sight
The police left confused and empty handed with only the sounds of music.
when not-so-secret police, with song warrants up their sleeves,
showed up at the concert hall, where every other window
had been propped wide open on purpose.
When the rude knocking began at concert hall door, we ran to the window
to see from our cross street, next door, second floor room and a half.
The conductor's gestured greetings only delayed the inevitable, when
the police men barged past him, wanting to arrest the newly made criminals.
The neighbors Victrola played
Shostakovich Fifth Symphony.
The musicians released their fleeing instruments
like freed balloons into a welcoming air.
First, the strings floated violins in lines. The woodwinds followed
and oboed around the corner. The brass turned left and trumpeted
down to the river. At last, in the nick of time, the percussion section
squeezed through, drummed over the buildings and just out of sight
The police left confused and empty handed with only the sounds of music.
