PEACE MUSICK

1.

A quiet peace of music

is making its way up the valley

and the woman smiles as she hangs

the fish up to dry

and the man who prepares a hole

in the earth whispers a smile

and the teacher tells the class that

the last thing they may hear is trees

screaming and hills saying “told you

so” and somebody will let out lions

and we will all listen to RADIO TEN

in case there is still hope and messages

but for now the future is rubbish and

the rain decides not to and music is

and what they will do with dreams is

another thing you must never ever do.

2.

We were dancing when they said it

&

we were singing when they said it must go

&

the trumpet played as they left us

&

and I heard organ music as they fled

&

a boy was blowing grassblade when they caught them

&

an owl flew across when the doors were locked

&

the music man came each week

&

cycled away when we had come alive.

3.

When it snows

I call across fields

to see what comes next

and it is often John Clare

who hears

and puts it

into

words.

4.

Cannot fix it in words any more

but that’s where music comes in

and the man at the piano

tells me that he is called Scarlatti

and I believe him

even when it never quite ends.

Copyright © David Grubb, 2009