Beauties

[A cluster of small poems from Beth Levin, pianist, recording artist, La Folia contributor and teacher. Ed.]

Poems by Beth Levin

[January 2010.]

Little ZaZa
lost in the Turkish March
later sketches a vase
Matisse

Liam laughs quietly
at my fervor
still doesn’t feel
I suffer

Ashley has no piano
masters a Bach minuet
I look on eBay for a used spinet

Chris, my shore bird
grew up in Japan
technique only beginning
has exotic legs

Isabella alters the rhythm
I let her
sassier her way

Jeff’s thumb dangles below the keyboard
my silent gasp
I remind him hold an invisible peach

the master class silent
Jeremy 12 shirt and tie plays perfect Bach
barely audible sighs

a valley girl
a Brahms Intermezzo
a question of light years

A.O. comes to music
as a respite from words
a Schubert Impromptu
flows away from a deadline

Soon-Ji in satin slippers
Competition Mozart
no hint of lah-di-dah
her mother just outside the door