How do you define yourself?

Do you even know who you are?

And if not,

how can you not

and still

judge others for who they are?

Who a person is, is defined

in many ways.

Just as no two people are alike,

no two people show who they are

in alike ways, although it may seem similar.

Who I am is

a collection

of music

which takes different forms,

and comes from different places.

The music can be the high pitch

of an altissimo note

on a silver piccolo,

in perfect tune with the world.

It may be the smooth trill

of a C flute

playing softly,

unnoticeable,

to some.

It may even

be the exuberant strum

of my dad’s old

acoustic guitar.

Its beauty lessened, in recent years

by my much more unskilled hands.

The melody that tells

the story of my life

is a beautiful piece,

though not a flawless one.

Often,  

the Flute is heard,

clearly,

above the rest.

The music differs often,

as the seasons do.

And as the people

and places,

that influence it changes.

As Autumn nears, the song brightens,

newly reinvigorated by the vibrancy

of Summer.

The drum beats, teaching listening feet

the tempo

so that they may move

in stunning synchronization.

As snow begins to fall, there is a sadder element

to the song. It is made up of a longing for the energy,

and warmth,

that came before it.

The brightness of autumn fades away

in the hecticness of the school year.

Drowned out,

by the blaring of knowledge sought.

In these winter moments,

my priorities shift,

the outdoors is seen mostly through a window,

as I trade in my flute for a book.

Throughout the year the music is ever in flux.

And, however somber it may at times seem,

it is never a solo.

Ever present, Ever important,

fellow musicians surround me and harmonize

contributing their own sounds

to the piece.

Although these musicians may vary greatly

and their melody often seems to clash,

they are all essential

for the concert to continue.

I

take center stage,

and the timbre of the music I play

rings full of hope and anticipation

for whatever awaits me in the future.

I am anxious to see

what may be accomplished

once I find the perfect note,

to join the chord played by those around me

and take my place among them,

so that the chaos

might resolve,

into unity.