(Marriage of Figaro, Act 2)
Give up your song of hopeless hope
stop leaning on your escritoire
life bubbles in rococo ways
that wink at your disconsolate sighs
a quick disguise or clever clue
will change the key, beguile bleak thoughts
towards billowing desire. No path
is blocked where jeweled tones flow —
reframe your theme: a flounce of lace
through sly reversing roles, the score’s
bright perfumed swirls, say: smile;
be constant; improvise.
He will at last come back to you.
Michael H. Levin is a lawyer, solar energy developer and writer based in Washington DC. His work has appeared on stage and in chapbooks, anthologies and numerous periodicals, and has received poetry and feature journalism awards. www.michaellevinpoetry.com; www.twopianosplayingforlife.com
