Open the cage

A poem about silent music

Open the Cage

A composer by the name of Cage, pen poised above a pristine page

closed his eyes for inspiration, and after a moments hesitation

as he could not think of a single note, there were no notes in what he wrote

So scribbling furiously and fast, he filled that empty page at last

and then on opening his eyes, said to himself in some surprise

I’ve either written very small, or else there’s nothing there at all.

He checked the ball on his plastic pen, then pushed the pen about again

and said,”I am inclined to think, I’ve run entirely out of ink

I’ve nothing else with which to write, besides I’ve done enough tonight.

It's been a really long hard day, and a tune that no-one has to play

is a tune the band will love the best, as it gives them all a well earned rest

In fact I get the strongest hunch, they’ll use this break to eat their lunch”.

At last there came the opening night, he’d practised hard to get it right

the orchestra had left the pit, they didn’t feel inclined to sit

silent ,while he didn’t play, piano-so they went away

and took their blank unprinted score, that they found other uses for.

The conductor of course he had to stay, to say when not to start to play

and then to do his very best, to count out all the bars of rest

He tapped the stand and raised his baton,

the pianist pulled the stool he sat on

Opened the piano lid, and that was precisely all he did.

As he sat on stage at the Albert Hall, there was no single sound at all

and the audience all took learn-ed note

of the excellent way, he didn’t play

the tune he never wrote.

John Cage’s most famous musical composition is called 4’33”.

It can be played on any instrument and consists of three silent movements.

First performed by David Tudor, on piano, at Woodstock, New York

in 1952.

It is available on C.D.

I must admit I had a rather low opinion of John Cage for some reason,

until I found his photo.

Not at all what I expected, and I am now of the firm belief

that he was one of the biggest jokers of all time,

and

the world of classical music has yet to see

the humorous side of this situation.