eroica

when Ludwig imagines 
this symphony 
out of  17th century air 
he has Napoleon in mind 
great victor and revolutionary hero 

and then Bonaparte declares himself emperor 
and with furious ink-stained hand 
he rips off the dedication page 
jagged edges along the left side 
crumples up thick paper and throws it to the ground 
shouting German consonants spitting 
now too he will tread underfoot the 
rights of     man 
become a tyrant 

but the manuscript survives 
shouting in polyrhythms 
the breaking of chains of darkness 
the slivering trumpet of light 
through the cracks in the ceiling 
of our mental prison 
just listen