on no, and a lot of live musicians
by Hezekiah Allen Taylor

for Crispin

I wanted to say "no" to this trip
(not to you---
of course not)
but to this unnecessary hullabaloo

but the orchestra really is
perfection here in Vienna
each instrument heard, bowed,
echoed

placed softly inside my ear
lovingly, even

but it doesn't make up for your absence
not one single perfect note could do that
nor the tumbling, warm, wet fall of them

it is not nearly enough

Francine's Version -- Hezekiah's Version
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