Disassembling Marconi

[Beowulf]

Disassembling Marconi

I hear Mariachi static on my radio
And the tubes they glow in the dark
----------------------------------------------Warren Zevon



At five I took to disassembling radios
to find the spot within,
that sparked metallic voice
into song – the component which played
the musical repertoire that made 
my sisters spring into dance
on a makeshift stage with rag curtains.

I would stare for hours into this 
breadbox Wurlitzer – to locate the source 
of mimicry – the cathode tubes glowing
in the dark – lighting the way
to the next act.



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