17 June 2011 Volume: 21 Issue: 11 Australia's ... - Eureka Street

Volume 21 Issue: 1117 June 2011Beethoven’s vision of GodPOETRYThomas ShapcottBeethovenWhat is it about his music that appeals?The humour is cruel, or very bad form,The lyricism is, well, really a little forced.Which leaves the anger and the hurtAnd perhaps the vision of a god.Is that enough to keep us enthralled?There is no other way out. We are drawn inBy the very obstinacy of the man.Oh yes, he was deaf as a lamppost in the endSo that he never heard a note of it,We listen still, and we hear the soundOf what it was like to be alone.We are surrounded. After all these yearsWe have to believe that god was important.That music was important and that BeethovenSomehow heard all the motives in us.We are forbidden to weepBut we have learned to rejoice. All thingsShall be given to us. Like it or notWe are in his company and the giftTakes us out of this world and puts us in it.BirdsIf there were no birds would we invent them?©2011 EurekaStreet.com.au 14