MY FIRST RECITAL

In my Uncle's Scriven's study
my Aunt Sarah brings me
a cup of delicious green tea
with a cheese croissant
on hand from the bakery
retelling me a children's
ancient library story
of a scholarly miracle
during the Chinese Han dynasty
she wakes me up to my Muse
with day dreams on the bed
as we hear the sky birds
outside the shed sing
I'm refusing to be monocled
or jostled by time this day
of my first recital by anyone
by arbitrary or capricious
as I'm about to play
on the tiny violin
"Thais" by Massenet
as my aunt would insist
on dressing me in a tweed suit
and school blue tie
in the classical library
wearing her tight satin gown,
as she presses on me
"Make out your daily list
put away your meditations
of clever Marcus Aurelius,
Jesus and Latin for now
and do your lessons later,
you must practice Bach
to be a greater violinist
than you expect
and focus on your solo
for a few hours,
forget the radio free jazz
of the Sixties sax
by John Coltrane
or Charlie Parker,"
as she waters the garden
of darker purple jonquils
crocus and April flowers
and tries to relax.