Karlheinz Stockhausen

was a simple man

with a bright ingenuity,

from which he fashioned numerous,

all quite original,

sound scores,

poured into some basic,

theatrical, semi-religious stage personalities

He easily fell prey to praise

I remember him best

for his perseverance, stubbornness

and explosive childishness,

and his habit of keeping you close

as long as he benefitted from you

Today, on the sixth of January,

we had a visit from a Great Grey Shrike

(Lanius excubitor)

below the bird feeder,

reminding me of Herr Professor Stockhausen