Mucus as Music

Or

Purgatorio Transposed to Torture Only

Modern poetry modern verse contemporary poetry contemporary verse modern poem contemporary poem

Response to Thomas Adès “Purgatorio”

When music has been mashed to noises made

As only ugly sounds, yes, almost all

Excluded we might hum, when all is shade

That once was melody, when all that’s tall

In thought and sentiment are dumped and banned,

As if the beauties of emotion are

Gray sketches of dried orchids, only grand

Experiment allowed, when only star

Of black hole orchestra fills up the whole

Of concert hall, when steely brush is dragged

On snare drum tightness and as if the scroll

Of music’s that, then hopeful ears are gagged.

  The fire of purgatory is supposed

    To cleanse.  Instead now beauty is foreclosed.

Jean Barraqué, Séquence (1950-1955), Joséphine Nendrick, Soprano

©  Phillip Whidden