ON THE BALCONY

We stared at the calm sea

over the Cape balcony
when we were eleven

hearing us play a Brahms

sonata for violin in G Major
''The Rain''at our debut

as you played a grande piano

to accompany me
staring at my fingers of agility

Natasha too had a grin of pain

with living signs
of a heavenly adolescent love

whispering in a Russian accent
an encouraging translation
of a commanding Psalm 91
feeling the sun shine again
to forgive my nascent ability
as a gust of cutting wind
by a mourning dove
and scent of incoming wave
from the demanding crowd
of Boston symphonic critics
or Romantic word lovers
by bowing chestnut trees
who hear birds and crickets
sighing through thick Oak
a hymn singing spoken sound
making the stand up poet proud
and knowing it was spring
by the dim Atlantic ocean
this very hour a brushed breeze
motioned to him upon the apron
upon their chorus of red wings
that even the seedlings
under ground opened
at this hour along the river bed
to a new yellow crocus flower
by the wooden music shed.