An Old Kentucky Trail

I take a sideways glance at my wooden piano,
Just sitting there,
quiet as a mouse.
A warm Kentucky breeze enters through a nearby window,
bringing sweet,
inviting smells into my country home.
Freshly mowed grass.
The outdoors.
Cardinals chirping, trees swaying, and horses wanting their
morning feed.
But my piano still sits there,
waiting.

I stare at it.
And oddly enough,
the keys begin to beckon me,
begging me to play them.

I stand there for a moment,
Pondering.

Finally,
spellbound,
I give in to the mystical keys.

I slowly walk over to the piano bench.
I place my bare foot on the frigid, shining pedal beneath me.
I shiver.
A wave of excitement flashes over me as I select a very difficult
piece of music to play.

“My Old Kentucky Home”

I open my music book to the proper page,
and place it in my lap.
I look over it.
This particular piece of music is a road,
my road.

And laid out before me is
on old Kentucky trail,
leading into countless green forests with endless ancient
trees.
Winding.
Curving.
I finish my inspecting and place the opened book upon it’s
stand.
My hands automatically approach the correct position over
the awaiting keys.

I begin to play.

My hands slowly slide over the slick, black and white keys.
Music floats out of the piano.
Like butterflies fluttering around in a field.
Weaving gracefully in and out of the symbolic honey toned
goldenrod.
My state’s song becomes recognizable and drifts throughout
my household.

My father stops in the doorway,
and thoughtlessly begins to hum the tune.
“Oh the sun shines bright on my old Kentucky home…”
A smile spreads across my face.
 

Paige
James Bazzell Middle School

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