"Limber Leon" : Lost and Found

Years ago I heard a concert performance by the American Symphony Orchestra with Leon Botstein conducting.  I was as impressed by Botstein's style as by the music.  I wrote this poem shortly thereafter, and then lost it.  As a result of our recent move and efforts to sift through journals, notebooks, folders, and files, "Limber Leon" was found.

Limber Leon

Leon listens low.

In a room of squared shoulders,

His swoop diagonal

Like a child playing kami-kaze

Scooping up ideas.

Leon listens low.

Leon pushes sound.

E.T. fingers shape and launch

Pregnant open cages of geometry and fruit,

Signing intelligibly to other

Ambidextrous sensitives.

Leon pushes sound.

Leon muscles mind.

A seeming supple spastic

Ignoring vertebrae,

Whose lips and ears dip deeply

In shadow symmetry,

Blinking brows and mouth

And owl eyes

To shuster off the dark;

Leon muscles mind.