For Anne-Elisa
By Annete O'Neil

if you listen very closely, you
can here
the agony of a piano, played.
each key giving a tiny gasp
at the striking,
pouring out tones and partials
like
a little gush of blood
the strings shivering,
shibering,
stilled by the steady smash of
a felt clapper
beauty in the collected sound
of its wounds-
the sweet, sudden violence of
flesh on ivory.

Thank you for the contribution, Annete!