DAVID AND HIS HARP, Francesco Allegrini (1587-1663)

“Whenever the evil spirit from God bothered Saul, David would play his harp. Saul would relax and feel better, and the evil spirit would go away.”   1 Samuel 16:23 

“(David says) I am worn out from my groaning. All night long I flood my bed with weeping and drench my couch with tears.”   Pssalm 6.6

KING OF ONESELF 

To whom is he playing?  

Is he playing to Saul?  

To his melancholy,  
to "the evil spirit from God?"  

Is that why he looks hollow, 
blanched 
by the unyielding horror  
we are spared from seeing?  

But he's wearing the crown, 
which means Saul is now dead.  

Which means now he, David, 
is the loneliest, 
the king.  

Is he then playing to himself? 

With Saul gone, did the darkness  
become his? 

Anyone's?  
Everyone's? 

It it ours? 
Is he playing to you?  

Listen.  

What do you hear? 

—Stefan Balan