an instrument's key

an instrument's key

 

 

play the strings of my heart

even as my emotional chords

lie dusty in an attic brain,

a lost room,

a rusted lock

ne'er touched for centuries in one poet's memory

 

words escaped through the cracks in the ceiling

of saturation

the dampness invites the bats to play

 

because they, like me

see little in your darkness,

we just take flight

flittering and fluttering 

hoping to land on an old harp

(tuned to tender fractions of notes)

 

 

that still has life enough left

to play even the shortest tune.

 

 

 

erin-cilberto

1/15/16

Reviews

[alifeacoustic]

I was going to say the dusty chords and attic brain with rusted lock and emotional chords scream black and white silent movie in my mind, but then I read some of the other comments, something I never usually do, and can't get the idea of softlyfall's response out my head. I wonder if she wagged a finger at you while telling you that harps know this. :)
Even in dark days, a short tune can reverberate through us enough to make us feel moe alive.
Superb Jacob, as ever.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

really like your response, alife...insightful...

j.

[Solar]

An instrument is there to be played. Perhaps some notes are just too emotional to be struck?
But they cannot but escape, despite the darkness, they find their way.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

yes, they will find their way....so true.

thank you, Solar...

j.

[Scott Thompson]

short tunes are the ones that I hum all day long...I could definitely learn from your phrasing techniques, and I am studying hard!! Another gem

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you for your kind words, Scott...

j.

[Scott Thompson]

We have observed the niceties. I could learn much from real criticism....What say we do both from now on? My rigid idea of concerning the form of poetry could use expansion and you seem to write from a different perspective

[softlyfall]

Love ripens when nurtured, becomes almost immortal
Impervious
Not needing anything but to be
Harps know this.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

i like your poetic response....thank you, softlyfall.

j.