Two plus two equals one.
Two hearts,
And two minds,
With so many thoughts shared between them,
Create a sisterhood.
Ours is a true bond.
I always had you to look up to,
You were an image to aspire.
When I was barely tall enough,
When my eager hands could only stretch to reach;
Even then, it was your preludes and arpeggios that my ears waited to hear.
It was the duets that we would play together that I could not wait for;
As your more graceful fingers played,
Each musical scale,
In repetition.
As I listened to you practice sheet music,
On our bold cherrywood upright,
With its imposing exterior,
Wood stripped bare to reveal,
The wavy dark lines,
Blended with jagged,
Lighter swirls,
And patterns,
— Wood grain,
The detail of hidden glory.
Even then, I knew;
Which song on it,
Would become,
My favorite.
I must have known,
Even then as a young girl,
That playing the piano could be effortless,
Because you did it,
So freely.
I knew that I could learn,
To read sheet music,
To recite scales and chords.
I could stumble through syncopation,
Until the rhythm,
Was no longer jilted noise.
I could pronounce Solfeggietto,
And play it at tempo,
Eyes closed.
I could play in competitions,
And score well enough,
In more than a few,
Only because you did it, too.
Even then, I knew.
Because I had you to look up to.
You lived your dreams in real time,
And watched me as I travelled the world to chase mine.
And when I was wise enough,
To value your wisdom as gold,
Our music still followed me,
To a mountainous hillside balcony,
That overlooked the sun, sky and sea.
When I traveled, I saw everything;
These new parts of the world,
Became everything,
To me.
Our music,
Still followed me.
Creating no distance,
Between pristine environment,
And catch-up conversations;
Only miles,
Over the phone.
Creating no distance,
Because your support was there,
Standing with me.
No matter how vast my surroundings,
I was never alone,
Because your presence,
Was there.
We talked much about what mattered most to us,
We discussed the daily ordinary,
We talked of things we thought would never get old,
We remembered the many things that still keep us close.
And when I was patient and strong enough,
To push past the first months,
Of a new life challenge;
When I was settled and driven enough,
To work long days,
To focus day into night,
You reminded me,
That I will always have,
Inherent value;
And worth above and beyond,
Anything that I do.
You lifted and inspired me,
To stay motivated even when I could not see,
That the life work that I do,
Both complements,
And nourishes me.
Even then,
When I struggled to reach,
When my beaming eyes could not see all of the ivory keys.
I had you.
And I know,
That our sisterhood,
Will forever be,
Perfect and complete.
Copyright © 2023 – Vignettes by Megan Alexandria
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