TWAS THE MOMENT BEFORE OUR CONCERT
PASS-AROUND
GIFT EXCHANGE
Each holds the gift he brought to
the party. While the poem is being read, each person passes his gift to the
person on his right when reader says RIGHT; when reader says LEFT,
each passes the gift he has to the left. The gift each person has in his hands
at the conclusion of the poem is his to keep.
Twas the moment RIGHT before our concert, when RIGHT
through the MCO
Not a person was LEFT tuning, not moving a bow,
The
musicians were sitting RIGHT in
their chairs,
In hopes that Aaron C****** soon
would be RIGHT there.
The violas were settled RIGHT in their seats,
To the LEFT the cellos were sorting music sheets.
And Jessa and her trumpet, and I
with my trombone,
Had just sat RIGHT down, though not alone.
When RIGHT out of the RIGHT
door there rose such a clatter,
We sprang RIGHT from our chairs to see what was the matter.
Away to the exits, I LEFT like a flash;
Threw open the RIGHT doors and ran out in a dash.
The moon on the pavement covered in
fresh-falling rain
LEFT a sparkle of midday on objects RIGHT on the terrain.
When, what to my wondering eyes
should appear,
But a white Dodge Caliber and a man
full of cheer.
From RIGHT inside the building, “Who is it?” shouted Karen.
I knew RIGHT in a moment it must be Aaron.
He was dressed all in black, RIGHT from his head to his LEFT toe,
And the audience was LEFT staring, wanting a show.
A bow he gave them, RIGHT there on stage,
Then turned RIGHT to us, and flipped to the first page.
More rapid than a drum stroke he
moved his baton;
And he clapped and shouted, you’re LEFT to hang on.
“Now forte, now piano! Now
crescendo, now hold!
Play chorales, play bell tones, play
and be bold!
From the top LEFT of the music, RIGHT
to the end,
Now accelerando, accelerando, accelerando
and blend!”
And then in a moment, I heard music to my RIGHT,
The sounds of the horns, playing
very light.
As I drew in my breath to make my first sound,
The beat he was playing I quickly RIGHT found.The oboes were playing, RIGHT in front of the crowd
As I drew in my breath to make my first sound,
The beat he was playing I quickly RIGHT found.The oboes were playing, RIGHT in front of the crowd
While the flutes played notes, as if
they were floating on clouds.
The percussion started banging, RIGHT on the bass drum
The percussion started banging, RIGHT on the bass drum
Peg played her piano, moving her LEFT fingers and thumb.
His RIGHT and LEFT hands,
how they move, how they wave.
The steady rhythm we heard, is what
Aaron gave
Marion and Clinton was umpaing along
And from the LEFT of the stage, we hear a ding and a dong.
And the violins LEFT sounds of fiddly finn.
The basses played deep, as low as
they could
And the trumpeters trumpeted, we
knew they would.
Aaron spoke not a word, but went RIGHT through the work,
And played all the music, then
turned with a jerk.
And laying his hand just LEFT of his heart
Then giving a nod, he LEFT to depart.
And away he LEFT until suddenly when
I heard him exclaim as he LEFT out of sight,
Great job to all, and to all a good
night!”
