In the posh concert hall
The renowned symphony orchestra is going to town
Offering the rapt, elegant audience
A rousing rendition
A awesome interpretation
Of the Ninth Symphony
Lo and behold it’s the famed Fourth Movement
The chorus is about to finish
It is soaring with alle Menschen werden Brüder
Just then
At ten strategic points in the hall
20 people in pairs stand up
Facing the now distracted audience
They hold up white banners with purple lettering:
“All detainees at Guantanamo are our brothers”
“Close Guantanamo!”
“Be embraced, you hundreds of hunger-strikers”
“Brothers! Beyond the U.S. torture chamber a loving Father must dwell”
The intruders’ timing is obviously calculated
Another thirty seconds to go
Before the audience will stand and applaud for five minutes
Then security guards come rushing down the aisles
Patrons look enraged or dumbfounded at being disturbed:
“Don’t they know this is the Ninth Symphony?!”
The guards seem to miss
A young man and woman holding up another sign right near the stage:
“I despise your feasts and your concerts!”
Dear Bella
I like to think
Beethoven would have smiled
