Musical Ecstasy
Many a great melody
is played on an old violin.That night is still alive
by the snow covered
window at the stage
of Carnegie Hall
after the recital
as Erica Morini
drew in my breath
when I held a strad
and Guadagnini
closely in my hands
sounding Vivaldi
under my hairless chin
my fingers over the bridge
grappling with the concerto
in a cadenza’s ecstasy
a body within a voice
of playfulness
as in the Visconti film
“Ossessione”
in a scene of tension
when Giovanna meets Gino
at the roadside inn
or hearing the jazz records
of Blake, Frigo and Grappelli
in blind incomprehension.