I trudged to the fifth floor of Spinoza HS
to look for my buddy, Henry.
When I entered the Music office
I said, “You didn’t show up for lunch.”
“Marking papers, ” he said.
I sat down.
As usual Thomas Noony
worked at his electronic keyboard
dreaming of his debut at Carnegie Hall.
I said to Henry, “Taped Pavarotti last light, a great singer.”
Thomas immediately declared, “You know he’s not
highly regarded among professional musicians
doesn’t sing from the diaphragm
say like Placido Domingo.”
“Thomas, ” I said, “does it really matter
what the professionals say? After all,
he did fill Lincoln Center to capacity.”
“According to that logic, Bernstein,
Liberace must have been
the greatest pianist of this century
but he didn’t come close
to the consummate artists, say like Arthur Rubenstein.”
When I heard that name a shudder shot through me
“I met his daughter once, ” I said.
“Really? ” gasped Thomas.
“She’s a famous photographer, Eva Rubenstein,
came to RIT while I was there to give a lecture
and afterwards took questions
and eventually someone asked,
‘What was it like to have a famous father? ’
‘A nightmare, ’ she said,
‘he cared nothing for his children,
only the piano.’ “
Thomas stared at me, a bit confused,
saying, “Is that a true story? ”
“Then her head down, tears,
silence in the room, everyone waiting,
still tears, finally said,
‘What he wished for
what he longed for…’ “
Charles Chaim Wax
http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/thinking-it-above-all-things-desirable/
