“Music expresses that which cannot be put into words
and that which cannot remain silent”
Victor Hugo

Old dreams come back to me
As I listen to
The Music of the Night,
Remembering the joy
The sheer, sweet joy,
Of the melodies and lyrics
Pouring from my heart
And from my soul
As I sang.
From my earliest years
All I wanted
Was to sing,
To give voice to
All that I had within me,
All the emotions
And the drama
The music brought forth.
Where did that dream go?
Why did I allow it to die?
Because I waited in vain
For the approval of
Those who saw no value in me
Except when I was useful to them.
I lacked the courage to believe
In my own gift
Even though others
Knowledgeable in the arts
Encouraged me,
Assuring me that my talent
Was good enough
To build a future on.
No, I cannot blame those
Upon whom I waited,
For I was the fool
Who sacrificed my dream,
My chance at joy,
By waiting in vain
For something that never came.
Still, even at this late age,
I know I can seek tutelage
That will reawaken my voice
So that I can sing again,
If only so I
Can soar once more
In song.

c. 2025

*For Ken Hawkins, my high school choir director, because he believed when I couldn't.*