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Violin 

Updated: May 11

by Alicia Harmon



He plaaaaaays

like he’s hurting hisself

like it takes a lot

to play the sound of clouds

This

is what sky blue sounds like

He winces like he’s looking at the sun

Black sunglasses on – and a snapback

to block the overwhelming

He plays with frayed strings 

that fall over the fingerboard

like weave, like bone straight bussdown

like weed – like the smoke that pours from the burning end

The paper of his sheet music is brown like he baked them with fire 

The edges fray

and curl away

from the world like they are overwhelmed

WE ARE OVERWHELMED

A Black man plays Bach for two Black girls, the full song,

He stands halfway between Half-Price Books           and Goodwill

in half-cut-off jeans

a blue button-up with no sleeves

to prepare against the sun!

There’s nothing more beautiful than bright light 

on your darkest day

I sway back and forth

We sway back and forth

He sways back and forth

and he slows to a stop

and breathes

We tip and praaaaaaise cause we cry for music





If you like the music, offer a little help to violinist Shawn Lesure

Venmo: @Shawn-Lesure






 
 
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Praisesong for the People

a project by Amanda Johnston 

2024 Texas State Poet Laureate 

This project is made possible with support from the Academy of American Poets, the Mellon Foundation, the Writers' League of Texas, and the Texas Commission on the Arts. 

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