Annie Reilly (acc. Elspeth Wilkes) sings at the HGO Summer Concert, "Of Life and Love", at St. Michael's Church Highgate, July 23 2022.
(Kitty, wife of J. Robert Oppenheimer, sings of her husband’s obsession with his work:)
Am I in your light?
No, go on reading
(the hackneyed light of evening quarrelling with the bulbs;
the book’s bent rectangle solid on your knees)
only my fingers in your hair,
only my eyes splitting the skull
to tickle your brain with love in a slow caress
blurring the mind,
kissing your mouth awake
opening the body’s mouth,
stopping the words.
This light is thick with birds,
and evening warns us,
warns us beautifully of death.
Slowly I bend over you,
slowly your breath runs rhythms through my blood
as if I said I love you,
and you should raise your head.
I love you, as if I said I love you.
listening,
speaking into the covert night: Did someone say something?
Love, am I in your light? Am I?
See how love alters the living face
go spin the immortal coin through time
watch the thing flip through space
tick tick
tick tick
tick tick
tick tick.