THE SWOP 1969

A SWOP OF a bible for a SET OF 78 RECORDS OF BEETHOVEN IN 1969

What do you want
for it? You asked.

He looked at you
then at the box of
old 78s of Beethoven's
violin concerto then
looked at you: what
you got? He asked.

I have an old Bible
some old family thing,
got names in the front,
you said. He raised
eyebrows. Guess I
could swap these 78s
aren't my cup of tea.

Ok I'll bring it tomorrow,
you said. Deal done.

78s for a Bible. It felt
heavy in his thin hands,
and he opened it and
saw the names written
in that faded black ink.

You played the old 78s,
pouring over the sound
emitted from the record
player, wondering what
he made of the Bible,
the ancient print, those
old names scribed there.

Beethoven hung in the air.