Dance With Demons

The room smells, wall paper peeled, reveals children's scribbles— small smiles, suns, pink trees Windows high with curious robins on sills wind moans through cracks sun dances branches on the walls A man pounces the piano with gusto five, six, seven, eight! I ply and jump, forget about him But in the background, invisible, one terrifying presence pairs with old grandeur j'ai peur Late that night my violin sang its song near perfection— sharp, shrill *** July 22, 2017 Copyright © Darren White