Chopin at Nohant by Askold Skalsky

Guests chat and smoke, pacing their day

with masterpieces until October.

They stroll or read, play billiards,

sprawl on sofas, hearing some chords

maunder through the keys

like the breath of watered roses

from his room.

It’s sunny and opens on the best purview,

a circle pond ringed with smooth stones

and two great oaks guarding white shutters

with tendrils of green vine curling 

around the recessed door.

You enter it—

the clock behind the escritoire floats

on its moon-phase calendar under a chandelier

with flaming finials where the summer sostenutos 

come to rest.

And in the evening, like a glimmery star,

the first uncertain version

of a melody. 


Askold Skalsky, Maryland, USA