I had an unfortunate visit today
Just as I had sat down to attempt to play
Some classical pieces I learned in my youth
A knock on the door came. And I said, “Forsooth!”

For it was a ghost of a peculiar stripe
The romantic germanic crotchety type
Who said that he’d heard (and I guess I will quote)
That I had just murdered a piece that he wrote

Just some Intermezzo. I thought it was fine.
When he looked at me with disgust, and said, “Nein!
Das ist nicht gut!” or some other such smack
To indicate I was a horrible hack

Which I guess is true. I can say without qualms
That I cannot blame the old ghost of J. Brahms
For coming down here and trying to save face
For playing his music sans notes and sans grace