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I am lifting the piano with one hand

I am holding it effortlessly steady

like a gliding waiter balancing a tray

of quail's eggs and salmon souffle

on his horizontal palm.


I am dexterously carrying it up three flights of stairs

without stubbing my toes or splitting my fingernails,

without chipping paint off the door frames

or denting the soft plaster of the walls.


I am lifting the piano with one hand.

I have not eaten spinach, mineral supplements,

muscle powder or Weetabix.

Today I am just incredibly strong

and able to carry the piano up three flights of stairs

where I'll leave the skylight window open

and a note inviting any passing ghosts

to come in, sit down and play 'Moonlight Sonata'

or ' Chopin's Nocturne' or 'The Entertainer'

or whatever they'd like to play on a neglected piano

in the house of a very strong woman.

The man who dripped digitalis ►

Comments

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Jeff Dawson

Sat 26th Dec 2009 12:06

Hi Gaia, intersting concept with unusual delicate imagery! best wishes Jeff x

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jane wilcock

Sun 13th Dec 2009 18:53

I love this, a great image!

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gaia holmes

Sat 12th Dec 2009 11:55

Thanks everyone for all the comments. Yes, Darren...this poem was actually written in response to a Billy Collins poem about walking on the water. I use the exercise in seminars now...imagine doing something impossible...its generated some great poems. I do like Billy Collin's poems.

darren thomas

Sat 12th Dec 2009 10:55

This reminds me so much of a Billy Collins poem. Seemingly effortless glides between the sound of its words, very few similes (I only counted one) but fastened and pulled together tight with an obvious awareness of how the phonology of words sound when read, and how this can be utilised as much as the right chosen words and their semantics.

Beautiful.

<Deleted User> (7164)

Wed 9th Dec 2009 22:33

I love the imagery, especially the first stanza.
Better watch which ghosts you invite in though, you might end up with an orchestral manoevre in the dark and a cat playing chop-sticks.

Starlight.x
ps. sorry, couldn't resist. It's a great poem.

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Ann Foxglove

Wed 9th Dec 2009 16:32

Lovely poem Gaia. An unusual image, full of positivity and grace!

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