Symphony Piece

by RyLee Hornok (1998)

His arms flowing like the rhythmic
rippling of the wind through a flag
His face fixed with passion
I see that he is feeling the music
As if it is a part of him
As if it is running through him
Using his entire body to conduct,
not merely his arms --
And what use of arms!
So graceful, and yet so full of the music
Flowing as silk in the breeze one moment
Then jerking wildly with that passion the next
And what use of body!
Even jumping at times with the pulse
or standing on his toes with emphasis
Beating the air with his baton,
then tracing the same in such a manner
As to calm the heart
And the music sways
The fabric of his tails waving with its flow

Those following his direction...
Igniting orchestral enrapture:
A violinist smiles,
the polished wood kissing her neck
She lovingly caresses the strings with her bow
A cellist wearing the passion of the piece
And another lacking any hint of emotion,
giving an impressing of boredom
This one with silver tresses and deep lines of face
This one with chestnut locks and creamy skin

A couple in the sea of onlookers holds hands
The women sitting forward eagerly,
transfixed with performance
That one sitting next to her
checking his watching,
checking his program
Asking, "How much longer?"
She doesn't even notice
She is so engrossed

And I, I just sat sit back and close my eyes
Absorbing this beauty into me
This perfect, harmonic stream of sound
And I thank God for such a glorious gift as this
Every once in a while trying to catch a glimpse
of that conductor
Whom I could watch for hours...
My only vista through the heads of those before me

Ah... a gentle rush of string
Then pluck, pluck
Then the rush again, only stronger
And it picks up speed
The conductor stands with feet apart
Then sweeps his feet inward and hops
The heads in the orchestra bobbing with the rhythm
The volume building
Louder, and faster, and louder still
with the release of the beat
Until I feel my spirit will burst
He is dancing on his podium
a magical, musical dance so entrancing
This heart that loves music melts
to see one so embodied with it
And the ebb and flow of these stringed
voices is... enchantment
Ah...
I love the symphony