The sound of a clarinet
That is music to my ears
The instrument I played years ago
Performing in the school band
I have taken it up again recently
Playing only when I am alone
Considering no one else has to hear
The first faltering notes that I produce
An occasional squeak or squawk
But otherwise it's good and it flows
Easily remembering the fingering
Eyes straining a bit to read the sheet music
There are phrases I play for fun
When I am just warming up making it up
Enjoying the ad lib song of myself
Before I turn to practicing classical tunes
My favorite melodies come back to me
Familiar pieces played with metronomic rhythms
Especially Bach's rather insistent repeating variations
Keeping time like a tick tock clock
But then that's what I hear in my head later
As we walk along at a steady pace
Our synchronous footsteps beat out the notes
From Sleepers Awake and Brandenburg Concertos
