Often I Think I'd Rather

play my flute than write a poem–

those pure or impure tones

going out into the air,

those runs or stumbles

up and down some scale,

no need for thought,

no need for wisdom,

nothing for the mind to do,

just emotion, feeling, sound,

traveling on my breath

coming up and out of me

and through the flute,

directly out of me,

directly into you,

my breath saying all

that needs be said

by saying nothing at all.

From While We’ve Still Got Feet, Copper Canyon Press, 2005

This article appears in Sep 21-27, 2005.

Often I Think I’d Rather