piano

I am ivory and ebony. I am her sanctuary.
She takes meticulous care of me and I, in turn,
Reward her by proudly sounding my taut strings.
Light from a high window illuminates my shiny black surface.
Admired by all that see and hear me,
I soothe sorrow and frustration with a few melodious tones.
Through concertos and ballads,
My heart soars with the lithe fingers of my soul mate.

But time passes quickly. My elegant airs gradually cease.
She visits me for the last time, with a sorrowful look in her eye.
I am silently covered with cloth, and wait patiently for nothing.
I gather dust; my delicate strings grow brittle with disuse.
My keys ache for exercise; and grow weaker with each moment.
Then the darkness ends. My confining cloth is stripped away.
I am suddenly caressed by a new set of slender, young hands.
My future holds promise, like the dawning of a new day.