Before the Symphony

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BEFORE THE SYMPHONY

As but one amongst the clamorous

cacophony of ding-dongs in this raucous 


clusterfuck, please hear me 

from somewhere in the back of the tenor


section when I say—with all due respect

for my fellow reed-rubbers and the rest


of you in the thick of it—

could you all just can-it for a bit? 


Hard enough, as is, to tune oneself

to the steady note coursing beneath


the discord without all of you

chording in my ear. Do we even know


what signature we’re in? It’s times like this 

our years of theory stutter, fail us. 


Among other things, what we need here 

is a little quiet. Any time now, disheveled master-


mind! Step through the door, able—

dear Lord—to salvage this babel


into something resembling harmony, and

even—when the curtain crumples—the song


so big we were nearly too afraid

to let ourselves imagine ourselves a part.

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