I enjoyed my English classes at high school, but found the lure of the music rooms, all of which had pianos begging to be played, too great. I went from being ‘a delight to teach’ in my first year of A-levels (age 17) to ‘despite considerable absences’ in the second year — most of the time I was playing the piano. Happy to report that I got an A in my English lang/lit exams, and failed my grade 8 piano, go figure! ;)

The Ivory Tower

I was in love
with a man
who tinkled his last ivory
in eighteen forty nine.

Waltzing through the afternoon,
mazurkaing in the morning
defeated by the G minor Ballad
swooning to every nocturne.

Duetting in Hedges' Hornpipe Rondo
rampant in Beethoven's Pathétique,
the C minor opening salvo,
flirting with the delicate flows.

Knocking out a Mozart Fantasy,
cavorting with Camilieri's Folkloristica,
rescuing Princess Natalie,
who demanded I teach her to play.