The Piano Lesson

Cherry

By socialeaf

Wed, 13 May 2015
  • 1688 reads
8 comments
 

Through the ceiling,

above my lazy fan,

sounds vividly

the knocking foot pedal,

and less distinctly

the tightly knitted notes.

Chopin perhaps,

but what do I know?

 

Her fingers stumble

over a gnarly etude

into a terse silence.

A distant yet sharp scolding

rises and sinks.

 

My fan stirs the dank air.

Plaster peels above

like an unreachable itch.

 

The failed notes repeat perfectly,

through different hands

but the same feet.

The thudding pedal belies

the piano learner’s obedience   

Certificate U
Poem
Leafnotes
Miscellaneous

Comments

Submitted by Bee on

So much more to this than meets the eye. I wasn't sure about this line - 'The failed notes repeat perfectly,' - does it mean, as I think, that it was played correcty by the teacher, or as it sounds - perfectly repeated as the student played it incorrectly?

I really liked the story as seen from the observers perspective. Obedience is such a telling word, here.

Bee

Submitted by socialeaf on

I hoped that 'through different hands' would mean that the teacher replayed the notes, while "but the same feet' suggest that the student kept her feet on the pedals. I tie myself in knots sometimes:) 

 

 

Submitted by Bee on

No, I totally got that. What I meant was that that line sounds like the teacher might have played it (repeated perfectly) wrong, too, where I think you mean - corrected. It's me who's getting tangled - sorry.

Bee

Submitted by socialeaf on

Ah, yes, I can see that. I'll give it some thought on my bike ride home. Thank you Bee!

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

Really enjoyed this portrayed scene, muffled through the ceiling! 'Plaster peels above like an unreachable itch.' was a lovely throw-in line! The story brought back to mind the times we loved hearing our youngest playing away at the piano, but with the strain of knowing he was heading for a 'tension wobbly/screaming fit' – he had Asperghers, and couldn't get himself to play slowly til he'd mastered some 'gnarly bits', just wanted to play it all as it should be, and of course the crash would come, he'd start again, the same speed, and the crash would come … He has gradually given in to what should be done to save himself from such misery I think! Rhiannon

 

Submitted by socialeaf on

Thank you Rhiannon! I got my son out of piano lessons a few years ago. The teaching of music is quite old school here in Taiwan. I live in a big building of apartments, and this poem is inspired by the sounds of the lessons that I sometimes hear happening around the place. 

 

Submitted by london_calling79 on

Stunning. I love the detail and the little things flaoting off to many possibilities. I could hear the notes.

 

Submitted by socialeaf on