Nine Twenty One.

You're standing there before me,

And my heart is tumbling over.

Like a freshly cut down tree,

Or a rolling boulder. 

We're walking down the streets

Of a place bigger than everything we know.

Turning the corners hurts our feet,

But around the next four we must go.

I walk beside you,

Wind blowing my hair off my shoulders. 

I want you to throw your arm around me,

As the evening breeze gets colder. 

We're stepping over cobblestones,

Passing by brick walls.

People screaming into their phones,

Ruining important calls.

The woes of the world disappear,

Especially when I am with you. 

Every distance looks so clear,

And I know you can feel it too.

We finally arrive and voices fill my ears, 

As the sounds of the street are drowned out.

It's like the crowd we'd get at New Year's,

There's two hundred, about.

Laughter leaves their mouths,

As the drinks and feast enter them.

It's like a party at someone's house,

I think they were playing Jem. 

We wait in line,

Like a tightly-knit chord of creatures.

Wrapping around corners like a vine,

Dying to watch tonight's feature.

People squeeze by me in the hallway,

And I move in closer to you.

Into your body I intentionally sway,

You're at my side as we stand in the queue. 

At last we can pass through,

And the vine starts to swing.

A half-empty room comes into view,

And to your arm I tightly cling. 

Pairs and groups split,

Their counterparts ordering at the bar.

The room is cold and dimly lit-

The only place I can be myself is in the dark.

You and I pile up near the stage,

We find a comfortable spot.

Being here with you is like starting on a fresh page-

It's like we got another shot.

A man appears beneath the spotlight,

He plays with wires to create waves. 

The guitar sounds alright,

As his fingers work the strings like slaves. 

At last it gets darker,

As the bassist and drummer come up.

The guitarist puts his foot on the marker,

And nobody dares to interrupt. 

The room grows silent,

Then the drums start.

His thrashing becomes violent,

And I can feel the vibrations in my heart.

The bassist starts to tap the strings,

His fingers caressing the neck.

The feel of the music is a curious thing,

Even when the world around you is a wreck.

You stand beside me and tap your feet,

I shift so my arm touches yours. 

I click my heels against the floor to the beat,

And from the stage the music pours.

The guitarist rounds off the sound,

Everything comes together to flood the room.

With every beat my heart pounds,

As the music continues to bloom.

The singer croons about love,

While the chorus describes laughter.

The music lifts us up and above,

But nothing will compare to what comes after.

The band knocks out a few more songs,

All good in their own right.

Yet none made me want to sing along-

Not with all of my might.

They finished and left for a drink,

As the room filled with noise.

I had some quiet time to think,

And all I wanted to hear was your voice.

I gave you the look,

And I smiled with my eyes.

I am acting like the hook,

And I'm catching you without flies.

We exchanged thoughts and words,

None of which really mattered to me.

Especially because they were about other birds,

Living in another tree.

After a moment so tender,

My attention is diverted.

There she is-small and slender,

Her hair of a natural red. 

The applause swells,

There's water in my eyes.

I nearly fell,

As I almost began to cry.

I was frozen by her beauty,

And her small, perfect hands. 

Beside her stood some Johnny-

And that Johnny was her man.

I had never felt such an instant rush-

Something took flight within me. 

The sound of her voice lifts the hush,

And it makes me feel so free.

They play out their set,

And everything feels so complete. 

After the show you can bet,

I'll be dancing in the street.

Everything is in perfect harmony,

As I sing along with the crowd.

I tap my feet and move my knees,

When it all gets loud.

Then it all comes down to one,

Single final song.

The music sets itself like a sun,

Their voices soft and strong.

Here comes time for my emotions to get the best,

And I look back to see you smiling at me.

I put one hand to my chest,

Then suddenly I feel three.

You pull me in tight,

Your hands caressing my waist.

I knew I should have tried to fight,

But your hands were so perfectly placed.

You rest your chin on my head,

As I lean back into you.

Everything could be left unsaid,

Because I knew you felt it too.

We gently swayed to the soft guitar,

I was so at ease. 

From the doorway to the bar,

It's beautiful and everyone agrees. 

The song winds down and comes to an end,

As they bow and leave us for the night.

Another good time spent with good friends,

I think I feel alright.

Out the back door we go,

Huddling around every corner.

We try not to mess up the crowd's flow,

As we bid farewell to the beautiful performer. 

Out on the street we make our way,

Tonight was a wonderful surprise. 

Home to start a brand new day,

I was never really great with goodbyes. 

Reviews

[Robin]

filled with delicate nuances that bring this story to the heart ~

[Cliff Rhodes]

each paragraph is sort of mesmerizing--nice writing