Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, SECOND FIDDLE, by RICHARD EUGENE BURTON


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

SECOND FIDDLE, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: Just behind the first fiddle he bends
Last Line: And the fiddle called second, be first.
Subject(s): Fiddles; Happiness; Music & Musicians; Musical Instruments; Soul; Joy; Delight


JUST behind the first fiddle he bends
To his bow, as a slave to the rod;
All his soul to the music he lends,
All his eyes to the leader, his god.

His skill is not blaring, but sure;
Mark his bowing, the rhythmic accord
Of his motions, the sound, crystal-pure,
That he lures from the violin's board.

The crowd never look at his face;
He is one of the sixty who try
With wood-wind or brass to displace
The world by a dream from the sky.

Not his, like the master of strings,
To step forth superbly alone
And play a Cremona that sings
With heavenliest tone upon tone.

No soloist he, but a part
In the mighty ensemble that soars
In the regions divine of an art
Where man but aspires and adores.

His joy is the gladness of those
Who feel they are helping the whole;
Less fluent the harmony flows
If an instrument flag, if a soul

Unfaithful should be to the beat
Of the baton that bids him be true;
And the music is ofttimes so sweet,
Small matter what makes it, or who.

And haply -- who knows? -- in the day
When the ultimate piece is rehearsed,
Shall come his Great Moment to play,
And the fiddle called second, be first.





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