At least not as bleak...

Pupil

Clio taught him what history there had been.
Aunt Terpsichore taught him how to dance
And grave Urania put him in a trance
to show him all the stars. At seventeen,

he'd all of knowledge. Mother taught him best
whipped meter into him. He learned by rote
each trope, each figure. He could hit a note
so pure and strong he never had to rest-

she taught him that. And then Eurydice
walked past and he forgot all that he knew.
Went up to her and stammered, shuffled too.
She smiled at him. He wondered what to say

then sang it, in a style so new and free
Mother knew both defeat and victory.