Charles Hood, Oh No
The Flawed Melody of Family
Take Am and pair it with Db.
Now chord those up with F#—
With only three of us left now
dissonance abounds
as we waltz around the low notes.
Watch the wicked sister
steal all the natural keys
by shifting them around
until she swallows them—
all that’s left is flat.
Now bring in the father—
sit him in his chair
to baritone the blackbirds
until he’s no more there.
___________________________
Carla Schwartz
Review by Vyarka Kozareva
The poem The Flawed Melody of Family offers a pleasantly different phrasing. The music terminology, cleverly included in its structure, is what makes this piece of poetry distinctive. Undoubtedly, the melody which the author Carla Schwartz presents will be recognized by many readers to be the soundtrack of their own family stories.