from the depths of my mind, they flutter free

ivory keys

A single row of black and white
is laid bare before my sight.
With haste, my fingertips alight
to play music to my ears' delight.

Keys so smooth and well-polished;
when pressed, they play sounds that ravish.
Oh the melodies that they accomplish;
the senses they tingle, what beauty shall flourish!

Harmonies blend and resonate;
with pedals, they reverberate.
All the air around me shakes
and dances to the music I make.

I pour out my heart to an empty crowd;
fury, sorrow, glee, and doubt.
Play fast and slow, play soft and loud;
hear the wordless whispers and shouts?

My mouthpiece when my lips are silent;
my confidant when I am distanced;
more than a mere instrument;
companion is an understatement.

Dark, painted wood and ivory keys.
Endless joys they bring to me
for through their strings they set me free
until my hands and feet are weary.