brettworks

Some old music
lives in scores
and performance practice–
picture a string quartet rehearsing,
eyes facing black dots on the pages,
one musician leaning in
to make an annotation in pencil,
almost touching the composer’s notes
that combine to make the music
so touching.

Other old music
lives in speakers
and Muzak soundtracks–
picture yourself walking
around a drugstore at night
under the neon lights
looking for earplugs and seltzer,
turning down the card aisle,
only to stop and look
towards the ceiling.
It’s a John Cougar song
beaming downwards from the 80s
that hurts so good to listen to again
but sounds distant now,
and as you pay for your products
with a swipe of a card
and ears tracking the tune
all you can think about is old music
still living on as alienated labor,
earning money while you spend it.