A New Violin
The varnish dry yet? We’ll wait. Tomorrow—
no, Sunday when your uncle can come over.
So, study the prelude, learn the fugue now.
No, Mozart just looks hard. We’ll play it slow
the first time. After church. Don’t tell mother.
Don’t touch the varnish until tomorrow.
I’ll get you a fresh cloth to rest. Your bow
wants rosin. Here. Get to it. Don’t bother
your fingers with the prelude, that fugue now.
That takes some work. Use your old one. I know
it’s cracked. Exercise. Try another
piece while smelling varnish, then tomorrow
we can try it—both of us. No sorrow
for your sad fiddle. Let your small brother
try it, prelude to fugues he can’t play now.
Don’t worry, you’ll teach him. One day, somehow,
he’ll surprise us both. Let’s just read, go over
notes while varnish dries. Still smell it tomorrow.
Sleep. Dream only preludes and fugues for now.
Mark J. Mitchell was born in Chicago and grew up in southern California. His latest poetry collection, Roshi San Francisco, was just published by Norfolk Publishing. Starting from Tu Fu was recently published by Encircle Publications. He has published two novels and three chapbooks and two full length collections so far. His first chapbook won the Negative Capability Award. You can find him on Facebook, Twitter, and his website.