IMPROVISATION #21

Exchanged faces
by the pale gallery walls
as I played Scriabin's
etudes and preludes
in the art museum
when my piano recital
was sharply scaled down
after my last night dream
waking to a Pushkin halo
of a Russian sunset
now my notes
are as twin stars
as a family body
of kin arpeggios
from a distant
memory of notes
offering up an appearance
brushing into my allegro
with an illusion
at my solo performance
with a congenial memory
of the "Inferno"
being in the ninth labyrinth
of Dante's hellish shadow
exploring a stirring echo
of the audience
in a launch
of grinning applause
which would not stop
with stomping feet
my mind enfolds
as if in heavenly rainbows
as I play scriabin
my sleeves rolled up
turning away my mind
from all encores
in a churning oblivion
from many hours
into exercises of learning
as a woman
with a flowered
peasant dress
presents an icon
to me at the end
of my performance
taking my leave
quickly departing
as an iconic pilgrim.