PrintPoem – DEAR JOHN (By Frank De Canio)
Dear John (the Sophie to Der Rosenkavalier)
By Frank De Canio
Just like the Marschallin had been resigned
to cede her lover to the ingénue
to whom his heart would later be inclined,
so Marietta’s mistress bade adieu
to her so that her “Quinquin” could pursue
no younger woman but a different sex
than formerly she’d been accustomed to.
Perhaps she needed someone who could flex
the muscles firmer than an aging shrew
could do; was confident she’d circumvent
his manhood, or perceived her ex’s shoe
would fit what seemed to be his passive bent.
In any case as their concessions grew
the marriage that ensued felt heaven-sent.
Frank De Canio Bio: I was born & bred in New Jersey, work in New York. I love music of all kinds, from Bach to Dory Previn, Amy Beach to Amy Winehouse, World Music, Latin, opera. Shakespeare is my consolation, writing my hobby. I like Dylan Thomas, Keats, Wallace Stevens, Frost , Ginsburg, and Sylvia Plath.
