They gave me a piano
pale blue, a baby grand.
I practised on it
ker plunk,
ker plink.
They said I was good
and suggested piano lessons.
Because they said I could, I took
piano lessons.
She was Scottish, the piano teacher,
she would make drop scones at the drop of a chord.
I wrote a piece, she played it.
It bore no resemblance
to what I believed I had written.
Polly Robinson © 2012
The piano is in need of tuning
So it can be played in key
Music is my first love
Rock opera symphony
I love music sheets tucked inside the seat
Of piano stool beneath
Music soft music loud music beautiful
Uplifting and complete
Dissonance: off key
Jangles discord clang clang
The music chaotic bitter sharp
Air disturbed bang bang
Black keys and white keys
Wait proud and still
For the piano tuner’s lever
(Here he comes up the hill)
He plays sotto voce
Presto forte staccato allegro
Adagio tosto tutti vivace
Tenerezza eco o o o o oh
A tonic in tune once more
Affettuoso read the score
Pianissimo dolcissimo
Come play me piano implores
Polly Robinson © 2012
Sotto voce: in an undertone
Presto: very fast
Forte: loud; strong
Staccato: brief; detached
Allegro: fast
Adagio: slowly
Tosto: swift; rapid
Tutti: all; everyone
Vivace: lively
Tenerezza: tenderly
Eco: echo; an effect in which a group of notes is repeated
