by Brittany Stephenson
Pizzacato Giusto
Pluck.
The pain
Of a thousand arrows.
Quelch.
Silence.
Pluck.
The blood
Of a thousand wounds
Quelch
Silence.
Pluck.
The loss
The fear
Quelch
Silence.
ENOUGH
Cries the heart
Press it
Down
Down
Down
To the depths
Covered
By glass
By gloss
The measures of silence
Delusory rest
Defined by illusory absence
By it
Now controlled
Battaglia Grave
Empowered by the covered
The antagonist takes the baton
Strikes a sudden downbeat
Amidst inharmonic chords
The drumbeat rises
At once subtle and commanding
Beat
Beat
Beat
Beaten down
Beat
Beat
Beat
Weakened down
Beat
Beat
Beat
Defeated down
Ruthless and relentless
The beat drives on
Solitary and subversive
The misshapen melody marches
A cadent cacophony
In frenetic rhythm
ENOUGH
Cries the heart
MORE
Cries the drummer
It must come
Up
Up
Up
Resists the heart
It shall stay
Down
Down
Down
Declares the drummer
Through the clamour
The intrepid ascent begins
Out of practice
Out of tune
Shaky an unsure
Genuine and pure
The covered exerts its voice
In tremulous cadenza
Up, up, up it rises
Up, up, up it presses
Up, up, up it shall soar
SMACK
The glass
The gloss
Voice and violin
Beat and baton
Now suspended
In the chaotic movement
Of the unceasing
Discordant fermata
Maestoso Moderato
Donned in red velvet
Escorted by grace
Minstrel ministers
Alight in sacred space
Upon the glass
A fugal dance
Death drum’s basso continuo
Freedom’s gentle virtuoso
Point and counterpoint
Contend they now
For composer’s and conductor’s claim
To the music of this heart
Fall and fear
Crash and curse
Hold tight the hardened glass
The apathetic gloss
Pain contained became thief of peace
Seeking now its cathartic release
Strong with assurance
Tender with mercy
The crimson clad melody
Wrests glass
Wrests gloss
Point is silenced
As fugue becomes monophony
The silenced, the covered, strike minor chord
Released in melancholic arcato at last
The tearful ostinato lifts as incense
Received in the golden streams of Heaven
Appassionato Andante
Through the refining fire water of redemption
Drum beat becomes dross
Gleaned in precision to bone from marrow purity
Ashes become beauty
Transformed in love to compassion unassailable
As incense it rose, appenato ayre
As glory it descends, areore oratorio
Embraced by surrender
The Creator holds the baton
Raised in deliberate design
The orchestra
Watches
Waits
In motion of sweeping grace
Fantasia falls, forza, festoso
Melody of miracle
Harmony of perfection
Rhythm of restoration
By Spirit now controlled
As a blazing light, the symphony of brilliance unleashes its
healing effretto
From instrumental transparency of one
Freedom of multitudes comes
Composer, conductor revels in His masterpiece
The music of the heart.
