A Canon “Written in School”
—in a Geometry Lesson?
His later comment on his childhood work
Remarks on one of these, a canon, that
It was “Written in School.” Did he shirk
His classroom duties, hiding where he sat
Behind the others doing problems from
A lesson book? The master would not guess
The boy was hoping that the notes would come
In harmonies like winning in a chess
Match. Canons flowed as sensuous as swirls
Of dragons: one, this one, was perfect blue
Of eye placed so . . . just so . . . in golden curls,
Curved scales. The teacher didn’t have a clue.
..The boy who sat there at the back composed
….Not angles — but melodies juxtaposed.