Kristel Settles

Kristel had some old scores to settle for good or for better She had tried the violin with no significant results other Than a crystalline chandelier shattering quite frequently When she raised the bow after too shrieking concertos In search of achievement performance and other’s acclaim It reminded her of Oscar in Grass’ tin drum in which the Protagonist refused to grow but sang at the top of his voice Maybe she had to be arrested in silence and mute retreat Instead she had to beat the drum and attack the membranes Of a different instrument banging from the crest of her soul She thought to herself to be rather good at it until the neighbours Asked for an injunction for when the message failed to appease A tambourine then and she became major but for minor disruption But she longed for a more central part in her own drama and flow And would not stay further backstage before and after the curtain A faded tapestry it turned out to be when her inside kept aching A silent walk on or a mime in the shadows of subtle diversion but She sought more than a hobby or discharge of darkness in her quest Wanted to be heard and not only seen when the narrator upstaged her Out of nowhere crisp corals of her lonely tune come into rhythm When Kristel chorded her vocal crescendo free from constraint She found her voice struck all octaves and blossomed sotto voce At first it was not apparent where harmony came from and whether Cadences pretended to cover up discord or claimed syntheses’ mask Yet when she abandoned personae she soon accorded music and peace 11th February 2019