A Boy And His Violin, A Poem by Evelyn Olson

A Boy And His Violin
For Phil

Once there was a little boy
His friends called him "Little Phil"
He learned to play the violin
Though it was against his will

Phil's mother and his father
Thought the lessons were a way
To learn the art of music
As he practiced every day

Phil lived across from St. James
They were both his church and school
His teacher was a sister
And she was nobody's fool

His teacher was a sweet heart
She was short but not too lean
She waved her music sceptor
Just as though she were a queen

Her name was Sister Katherine
And she truly was the best
Indeed she was an artist
Rising higher than the rest

Artiste virtuoso
And a music teacher too
She was the very, very best
Of which there are so few

When Phil went for his lesson
He would hide his violin
Underneath his little coat
So no one could see in

Oh how the children teased him
As he walked across the street
They called him "Tweedle Fiddle"
As he paced his little feet

"Oh why, oh why," cried Phillip
"Do my classmates treat me bad
Because I study music
That is very, very sad."

One day the children teased him
And they made poor Phillip cry
Then Sister Katherine asked him
With her very sister sigh

"Oh why, oh why, dear Phillip
Do you shed so many tears
What can be so very bad
Please tell me what you fear."

"Dear sister I must tell you,"
Phil said in a muffled voice.
"My classmates call me 'stupid'
Such a name is not my choice."

"I know," said Sister Katherine
"That your talent is quite rare
God gave you this great talent
Just to lift man's many cares."

Music is a gift from God
It can lift our spirits high
It's not for man to question
No one knows the reason why."

Every year at Christmas time
There was a violin fest
Sister signed dear Phillip up
She knew he'd do his best

"Perhaps," said Sister Katherine
"A movement soft and sweet
And other soft, soft music
Just to make the theme complete."

Children came from everywhere
Each one tried to do their best
To win a very special prize
A Stradivarius

Now Phil was very nervous
As he wiped his brow and cried,
"Please help me guardian angel
Will you please stay at my side?"

Now Phillip played his violin
With a movement soft and sweet
The people all said, "Bravo!"
As they rose upon their feet

The violin fest was over
Every student held their breath
Each hoped they were the winner
Of the Stradivarius

Phil's heart beat so very fast
As the winner's name was near,
"Phil Clementi wins first prize."
His name came loud and clear

Phil said, "Dear God, thank you
From the bottom of my heart
I knew that you would help me
And I knew this from the start."

When Phil went for his violin
And he opened up the case
He found a soft white feather
In the bottom of the base

The End