Higgins
By Paul Campanis
When an artist leaves, a void results. That is the point
of the piece
to me.
On the surface it is about loss which is
part of life but so is art,
what thing is so hard to do and we seldom realize it when an artist paints
or a writer puts down words. It is so darn hard
to be good at anything and
takes a lot of hard work. But Higgins is
a good pianist I would guess and
Justice makes that point. Donald Justice.
"Variations
for Two Pianos."
There
is no music now in all Arkansas.
Higgins
is gone, taking both his pianos.
Movers
dismantled the instruments, away
Sped
the vans. The first detour untuned the springs.
There
is no music now in all Arkansas.
Up
Main Street, past the cold storefronts of Conway,
the
brash, self-important brick of the college,
Higgins
is gone, taking both his pianos.
Warm
evenings, the windows open, he would play
Something
of Mozart's for his pupils, the birds.
There
is no music now in all Arkansas.
How
shall the mockingbird mend her trill, the jay
His
eccentric attack, lacking a teacher?
Higgins
is gone, taking both his pianos.
There
is no music now in all Arkansas.
Paul I don't really know why but I like to read the piece aloud. I
especially like the line about the jay's eccentric attack. I like to hear
the birds in my yard when I am at work or the one's at Fryer's when I am
outdoors working as I will be today. They are a kind
of backdrop. I
especially enjoy the company of the silly crows that jump around so when I
am out there.
I like the noise and clatter they make. Have a nice day and
speak to you soon.