When Everything Depends On Chance Poem by gershon hepner

WHEN EVERYTHING DEPENDS ON CHANCE

The moment just before
musicians play and dancers dance
is when the senses soar,
for everything depends on chance.

When everything depends on chance,
The senses soar, so why not dance?

What comes thereafter is
intense far less and more contrived,
like, coital, a kiss
that comes once climax has arrived.

When everything depends on chance,
The climax will exceed romance.

Hold the moment just
before the dance and music start,
like passion before lust,
and thrill the unexpectant heart.

When everything depends on chance,
The heart that’s unexpectant pants.

In a Pompeian fresco exhibited in an exhibition on Pompeii at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art a young woman tunes her instrument watched by three other women. The Roman artist chose to immortalize the moment before the music starts rather than the moment when everyone is listening to it.

I revised this poem in 9/28/09, from the following Vorlage:

THE MOMENT JUST BEFORE


The moment just before
musicians play and dancers dance
is when the senses soar,
for everything depends on chance.

What comes thereafter is
intense far less and more contrived,
like, coital, a kiss
that comes once climax has arrived.

Hold the moment just
before the dancing music starts,
like passion before lust,
the chance that thrills expectant hearts.


10/25/99,9/28/09