using all fingers except
her pinky, too short to
effectively pluck,
the copper strings,
perpendicular to
soundboard,

requiring use of her
hands, except when
she is playing me concert
harp, she pushes my pedal
with her feet, the rise of
Boyne water,

encouraging expressive
gestures, elbows parallel
to the ground, fluid wrists,
left arm resting on soundboard,
placing passionate emphasis
on special fingerings,
on the wire strung clarsach,
a thumb under, making a circle
with thumb and second finger,
rolling the string, releasing me...ah
my tone articulation...the rise of
Boyne water,

I sigh, fingering
her on Irish coinage
from the Middle Ages
and the current Irish euro,

I taste her on Guinness
as a corporate logo, she
is Ireland's most famous
drink, harping again...


Copyright 2006 Sage Sweetwater, firebrand lesbian novelist

http://home.earthlink.net/~sagesweetwater/