Contrapuntal Occurrence

Lbelans, 2018-19

 

Prelude

A disorganized Milky Way appeared on the dining room wall

scattering stars across the ceiling

            dissolving

in a downbeat.

 

Three friends died within an autumnal week of each other. They were younger than I am

All of them lit by glistening sun

            all the walking days of their lives.

 

Carl Sagan said

Our matter is made of red giant stars; 

evolution of life is caused by their death. 

 

Fugue

Under October’s low-hanging orb, an old man fiercely plunked a city trashcan. He might have been playing Rachmaninoff.

            In the rearview mirror, maybe Monk.

 

Orange candy corn pylons lined the road to buy Halloween treats; Terence Blanchard’s Choices riffed on the car radio.

            In an interlude, Cornel West chewed on spoken words.

 

Emerald green balloons tumbled down Broad Street. They seemed to be in a hurry.

            In hindsight, maybe lost.

 

Coda

A burly black pick-up truck blocked my driveway. The officer told me to drive over my lawn.

 

            In that moment, dusk settled.

 

Perhaps my three friends came to offer me a last line

            Or

maybe the constellation glinted off the window sill prism.

 

Mahler said

The symphony should be like the world;

it must embrace everything.