Quartet
QUARTET
A friend young like myself declined
These concert tickets and here am I
“Quartet”
U of Indiana’s Department of music’s pride and joy
I look about
These are not the movie crowd
No there is expectation
Up down surround the hall
Mrs. Guldergreen would never wear her furs in darkened places
OH! She will be seen!
Odd though the mixture –
Sport shoes
Dress shoes
Some with ties
No sport coat
No vest
The Guldergreens of past concert years would be simply astounded nearly in tears
These days (say some) are thankfully different
To appearance to senses become indifferent
How then four tuxedoed proud men
Now appear
On stage
No mics
No woofers
No swinging hips
No four-letter words escape their lips
AMAZING!
ARCHAIC!
GOOD LORD!
After a bow a glance all around
The four even now sit down
The lights go down
OH! dumb!
Where is the drumbeat?
Sounds that move the African tribes
No one’s raising arms on high
No earrings
Nose rings
No dancing around the aisles when the music begins
But THEN!
The UNIMAGINABLE!
A strain so soft
You actually hear the tick of your own wristwatch
No equipment on stage but
The air is electric
Nor a breath
Or sideways glance can break the spell
Surely the walls by grey-sickness stricken
Will crumble and fall
At last the music swells
All the while we have sat like statues
Not knowing or caring
Where we’re at
A final chord
Music is done
They
Indiana’s Quartet now rises as one
Plaster people come to life
On their feet
Shouting
Whistling
I’ll be damned!
There’s hope after all
Copyright © Daver Austin | Year Posted 2012
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