When a Cello's Ready to Sing

Four-string Heart
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Four-string Heart

Four-string Heart

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If you’ve ever felt a strong attraction that you know can’t be sustained, you will recognize the nature of this painting, in which an orderly and alluring structure is jumbled and twisted such that you want to restore the original, but how to start? It’s even worse than those jigsaw puzzles where you have to start with the edge pieces, because they at least have a straight side. Then you work toward the center.

In musical terms, you can hear a piece arising suddenly out of noise, out of the restless patter of the everyday. Better yet, you imagine taking up an instrument and playing.

If you know how it is when a cello’s ready to sing

and fearful of shaking you embrace the warmth of its wood

and hidden structures start to ride the air and amaze you,

then you know, dear heart, how I felt when your dancing spirit--

supple, quick, and playful--came over me like concerti

I’d barely remembered and was surprised by joy to hear

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