The Parting Of The Sea's

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.