(Inspired by her reminiscences of double bass virtuosi
Ditters von Dittersdorf, Simandl and Bottesini.)
I remember.the days when I felt so alive –
the Palm Court quintet and the cocktails at five
and dressing for dinner in pearls and silk gown
when my gentleman friends were the talk of the town.
There was Ditters von Dittersdorf, Austrian count
that everyone knew as the ‘Viennese Mount’.
The nimblest of fingers were those of Simandl
who told all his friends I was ‘too hot to handle’.
And I know people say I don’t suit a bikini
but that never mattered to young Bottesini.
Those days have all gone – and sadly the fact is
the young of today just don’t seem to practise.
So I'll have to let fantasies fill in the day
until I meet someone with whom I can play.
It’s all I can do, now I’m stuck in my case
as an all-but-forgotten, mature double bass.