Composing

Mostly I listen to classical music when

I write my poetry. Sometimes I wonder

about Mozart and Beethoven, Copeland

and Gershwin, Mendelssohn and Bach.

Who do they listen to when composing

their sonatas and symphonies, their suites,

rhapsodies, their concertos and fanfares?

Has got to be the strings of their own mel-

odies emitting from the brain. To hear

another’s music while composing your

own would be like me reading Bukowski

while searching for my own words. Im-

possible. Music and poetry seem to be a

good combination for inspiration, like

sitting in the shade of an oak tree being

induced to compose by a light summer

breeze. I can picture Copland sitting at

his piano while a Sousa concert is playing

outside. “Shut the hell up!” he might lean

out the window and holler. “I’m trying to

get some work done here!”

Me, I have the loud-mouth, heavy-footed

neighbors in the upstairs apartment to

contend with.

                        -30-

Chris Hanch 6-14-2020