i've never met a violin . . .

today i had the joy of combining two of my favorite things: yoga & poetry. the beautiful Raquel Bueno--yoga instructor and friend--invited me to share poetry during her Yoga Gives donation-based class. we decided to focus the practice around voice. she lead a practice primarily focused on the fifth chakra, communication and self-expression. then i closed the practice with this poem during savasana:

i've never met a violin who refused to sing
never seen a bow glide across a perfectly
taut string and mute its deepest vibrations

now i have heard the screeching
five-year-old violinist voice
unafraid to shout out that
slow stuttered Twinkle Twinkle Little Star

i've heard the ding of dimes
and quarters falling into a hat
of the subway musician letting
his instrument speak

i've heard applause stampede through the hall
after the second movement
of Rachmaninov's 3rd symphony

i suppose it could choose
to refuse the melodies and harmonies
to play it small
and deny its voice
to hold its breath
and cease to breathe

but i've never met a violin who decided
not to sing
and if i could gift all the passion
inside of us with any one thing
i'd resin up my bow
and tune our heart strings to the
freedom of voice, the ease of being
the indelible choice
to always keep singing

it was a beautiful practice, and i'm grateful to be able to share in it on the mat and with my words. may we each find our voice and let it flow.

image by lanecia a. rouse

Read this powerful story about voice.