Thursday, June 13, 2024
Gwen Martin
Magnificent the music, Tchaikovsky,
big and booming, balloons blooming,
colored uniforms, gaudy their globules,
our Field-Marshall standing to attention,
surveying the battlefield, her command
post positioned so she can organize
her army’s response. So, here we are, armed
with pins all primed, balloons at the ready.
Here it comes: climax, crescendo, the old
guard preparing that one last charge, Moscow,
behind us, burning, and now … she cries now …
now … pointing to each of one us in turn
and we pin-prick our balloons … now ... now … our
enemies run, Napoleon retreats,
Moscow is saved … glorious music, church
bells ring out in a wondrous finale.
