Etude No.5
Mr. Graf’s Nightmare
The piano shook
in sheer terror of his entry.
His walk hindered by
a large, extravagant sabre,
But nevertheless he retained
his always charming
aura, which seemed to obscure his
sloping nose, contained
by his trademark warts that never
did deter his exquisite looks.
After a playful
bow, his hands trickle down from a
confident grin. As
they touch the gleaming keys his arms
poise for the impending contest.
Unaffected by
his aging frame, he morphs again
to a gymnastic
arachnid. Transformed by trills that
beyond tickle the helpless keys.
His mutilating
chords force a dual stampede of
ivory lemmings,
as he cleaves the keyboard ends off
the piano. With unbroken
concentration his
hands traverse the remnants of a
once magnificent
masterpiece. Under the roar of
a standing ovation he bows,
and exits with the
same playful disposition that
brought the chaotic
concerto to life. Yet again
he fulfilled Mr. Graf’s nightmare.