Tag: music

Heartfelt Revisions

On By Piano girl8 Comments 
When the notes
Fall out of tune
Will you still listen?
When my hands
Grow stiff and slow
Will my music still
Make you smile?
When wrong notes
Become noticeable 
Will you still ask me to play?
Music played in the past
Not always playable 
In the future-
Notes too many
Rhythms too complicated
Tempos too fast-
But what if 
I intentionally 
Left out a few notes
Simplified rhythms
Relaxed tempos-
As long as the music
Remained centered
In my heart, perhaps
You would not object
To my necessary revisions
Secret of Life-James Taylor
Kelley Morris, piano

Sweet Visit

On By Piano girl7 Comments

Hello there!
I hoped we might
See you today
Always look forward
To your visits
What’s that?
Yes, I imagine
It takes a lot
Of energy
For you to make
An appearance
Yesterday’s warmth
And sunshine
Must have been
The perfect pairing
You can’t stay long?
I understand
We will enjoy
Each other’s company
As long as we are able

What a difference one sunny day makes! 💛

Daffodils Kelley Morris, piano

Canvas

On By Piano girl3 Comments

Fog rises over
A golden field
Not dense
Holding just enough
Presence
For sunbeams
To paint
Their portraits
Across the hazy canvas-
Temporary
Yet, beautiful
Reflecting
Yet, dissipating
Energy soaked in
Then released
Into another day
Another time
When light and mist
Once again
Cross paths
Creating art
Creating life

Sunshine On My Shoulder Kelley Morris, piano

For Old Time’s Sake

On By Piano girl11 Comments

A childhood photo
Favorite song
Cherished tradition
Competitive game
Of cousin kickball
Why would we attempt to recreate such things?
Because memories fade
Some we hope
To never forget
Others we wish
We could forget
But time is a teacher
Showing us where
Each puzzle piece belongs
And that our personal picture
Unlike the puzzle in a box
Has no straight edges
Always leaving room
For new connections

 Auld Lang Syne Kelley Morris, piano

Happy New Year, Friends! ❤️

Merry Christmas

On By Piano girl8 Comments

I hope you enjoy a few of my favorite decorations and carols. Wishing you the joy and peace of Christmas! ❤️

In the Bleak Midwinter Kelley Morris, piano
Silent Night, Holy Night Kelley Morris, piano
Hark! The Heral Angels Sing  Kelley Morris, piano

Simply Sunday

On By Piano girl9 Comments

Music is a foundational part of my life. It is there to help me celebrate. It is there when I’m sad. Whether playing or listening, its power is undeniable. Today seems like a good time to simply share. 😉❤️

Blackbird by John Lennon and Paul McCartney
Kelley Morris, piano
Sunshine On My Shoulders by John Denver
Kelley Morris, piano
Cool Change-The Little River Band
Kelley Morris, piano

Red Rover

On By Piano girl1 Comment 
Standing 
Shoulder
To shoulder
Hands held tight
Forming a
Red Rover line
Strong enough
To keep out
Any who seek
To discourage
All the while
Carrying the
Most precious
Of cargos
Our future
On their 
Shoulders
A responsibility
That when shared
Shines a light
Through
The troubles
Of this day
Into the time
Ahead of us

I am not preparing to return to the classroom. It’s the first time in sixteen years. Feels a bit strange.

There are tiny tinges of sadness. I miss the Good Morning smiles and hugs from friends. The laughter of students. The sharing of music.

Teacher friends, you are my heroes! I am cheering you on from the sidelines! ❤️🍎

Simply Sunday

On By Piano girl2 Comments

I continue to discover the ways of grief. Sometimes expected, often not. I continue to be grateful for the writing circle space created by Ali Grimshaw. https://flashlightbatteries.blog/ What a gift to get feelings down on paper and share them with loving souls.

The following poem came out of our recent circle. Maybe you can relate. ❤️

Ready to Listen

It seemed like
A good idea
Frantically
Searching
Through old
Voicemails
I thought
I was ready
To listen-
The sound
Of your voice
Even from a
Recording
Would surely
Bring peace
Instead, it was
An instant reminder
Of how much I miss you-
You have not been gone very long-
Grief made her
Presence known
In the song of
Falling tears
And together
We quietly sang
A sad, yet
Grateful
Melody

Scenes From a Movie

On By Piano girl4 Comments

I love the movie, Begin Again, starring Keira Knightley and Mark Ruffalo. It’s a story about love lost and found, life lessons, and family. All of it happens around and within the gift of music.

I was recently reminded of one of my favorite scenes. Picture two people traversing the city at night. Their focus is a portable CD player and a headphone jack splitter. Technology allows them to hear the same music in a personal way.

A version of this scene happens twice in the movie. The first time, one character shares a memory with a new friend. The second time, he is seeking a second chance. Just watch the movie. Trust me!

So, what would make me think about this scene in this movie while on a plane flying to Hawaii?

My husband is techy. When traveling, we are all set with earbuds, wi-fi, chargers-whatever we might need or want for communication and entertainment. Technical difficulties? He is my guy!

As we got settled for our flight, he handed me his earbuds. I scrolled thru my iTunes, checking to see what music I had downloaded. Music playing during take-off is a must! It helps me relax.

I fiddled with the earbuds and Bluetooth settings. Before I could make a choice, music magically started playing in my ears.

My husband, Gart, tapped me on the shoulder. He smiled, pointing at his phone device settings. He had connected both his headphones and my earbuds to his iPad. We can listen together. And we did! 🎶❤️🎶

Counting Moments

On By Piano girl4 Comments

It seemed so silly. Embarrassing, almost. Crying in front of a perfect stranger. A customer, at that.

He asked about music: music that reminded me of Dad. The songs could have been a playlist from my dad’s eight-track player in his truck. If playlists had been such a thing back then.

He responded with words of understanding. His eyes reassuringly glistened. We talked about how he had played piano when he was younger. Now that he was retired, he might have more time to play.

I encouraged him to continue playing. Even mentioned taking lessons. He left with a registration form in hand.

A chance meeting? Or maybe, just maybe, a moment worth counting.

Fast forward a few weeks. And a now familiar face walked in the door.

Hi, Mike!

Oh, you remember me?

Of course! I told my family how I had cried in front of a perfect stranger at work!

We both smiled. There were no tears this time.

Decided I would like to sign up for those piano lessons. When can we start?

I no longer felt silly or embarrassed. Instead, I held a moment of awe in the middle of my heart, standing in the middle of a music store.