I walked out to the stage
Sat down at the grand piano
Fiddled with the sheets of music
And then turned to the bright lights.
The eyes behind the lights were
Watching
Waiting.
I gave them a nod
And turned back to the piano.
I looked at my hands
And at the keys.
I closed my eyes
And took a deep breath
One
That I could
Feel deep in my chest.
Then I popped open my eyes
Smirked to myself
And began a slow and sweet build.
My pinky
Softly and slowly
Flirted with a high note
It’s a melody
That was written
To build into
Something like
A miracle.
The notes echo across the music hall
And sometimes
I’d play a note so softly
That the eyes behind the lights
Would lean forward in their chairs
To try to hear it a little clearer.
Everytime
The crescendo would climb
And the eyes
Would think
That something grand was about to happen
I’d take it back
To the sweet, slow and soft notes
Building up.
I let a few notes
Fade
Into almost
Nothing
But the stillness of
Expectation.
They leaned forward a little further in their seats
I stopped playing
Straightened up my posture
As the last note I played
Fades away
I look out into the audience
Like the captain of an old pirate ship
Staring out into the approaching storm.
I see the excitement in the eyes.
I hold it there
Freezing them in time.
Then I look back to the grand piano
And welcome the audience
To the storm.
My hands move frantically
As the climax fiercely rains down on them.
I am at war now
I am fighting with God
In attempt to give them what they paid to see
A miracle
A parting of the sea's
God agrees
And lets me
Lead them between
An ocean.
The eyes don’t know this
But everytime
I fight with God
To create a miracle
It is an exchange
He/She takes some of my soul.
But I
Well I
Get to help a few people
Get a glimpse at Him/Her
Through art
And that
Is worth losing my soul over.
Tears roll down my face
As the song comes to an end
I sit there
With my head down
And my index finger still holding down a key
The lights fade
Except for a dull spotlight on me
Then comes the thunder
I wipe my eyes
And take a bow.
-C.H.
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