"Rhythms" – 4/14/20

Almost without fail this day every week
They called me from The Opera looking for support
I don't know too much about the art form truthfully
Beyond my general musicality I considered myself
Somewhat of a philistine having only ever been
Three times in my life and bought a ticket merely once

It became something of a satire on tour
When would the opera call me and in spite
Of assuring them if I chose to attend again in
The future I would do so in real time and would be
Passing for now on a membership even though
I very much enjoyed Madame Butterfly

I can honestly say I miss that call I miss presumption
I miss the assumption that because as they may have
Sleuthed on occasion I've also attended Broadway
Or the ballet or taken in an exhibit at the odd museum
MOMA, The Whitney, The Met, etc. the premise was
I'd be a supporter of any and all artistic endeavors

I also miss the call because even once I marked
The number as spam in my contacts on my cell
It was something both annoying and predictable
I contemplate in my isolation how with rare exception
I seem to be the one making all the calls to myself now
Everyone is so hunkered down it almost feels like

A betrayal of self to reach out I think many people are
Actually reaching out less now because they feel so
Self-protective maybe it's because deliverance's
Instacarte's so backed up folks are starting to worry
They may genuinely not have enough self-rationing
Energy might be the only way to extend our stores of

What we have gathered today I called my banker with
A quick question about Venmo and after the requisite
But altogether heartfelt chitchat about how our
Respective days were going she was so utterly helpful
It was not only the way she seemed to have literally all
The time in the world for small talk but the way we

Ended up oversharing it was downright inappropriate
Some might even say desperate by the end of the
Exchange I felt assured and had also laughed she had
Too unspoken moments of gratitude between the
Required beats of professional obligation mean
Something new a DJ on the BBC just interviewed me

We talked about the homeless, ongoing MPress
Projects and the challenges of her getting groceries
Delivered chasms bridged as easily by my plug-in
And play USB mic as polished recordings to which I've
Dedicated the better part of my life cancer came up of
Course 'cause the music came from that enormously

Challenging period its been a very long, short day or
Maybe more of a short long year already people are
Talking about 18 months like it's the minimum and I'm
Starting inevitably to miss my home not the physical
Space or even my stuff but the knowledge I'm safe
That only once one is safe, does art's elixir intoxicate