His face was cracked like candlewax His mouth was thin Iike wire The tormented young composer threw His papers into the fire By the flickering flame his fingers Stroked the claviret While throbbing gently grew the drone of string quartets The falcon birds of winter were screaming in the trees While rain it broke-beaded like chains or window glass like grease From a panel in the study waII Behind the candelabra He removed a smali cigar box Wilthin a miniature orchestra