What we play

What we play

What we play is
real
what we play is
raw
what we play is
rough and tough and strong and
calm and serene and pure
what we play is
blues and rhythm
exuberance and energy
gratitude and remorse
memories and forgotten
what we play is
those sad lonely nights
those snowstorms that sunshine
the hail, the rain, the waterfalls
the fireplace burning bright the
tulips sprouting so gorgeous
what we play is
those ups and downs and
diagonals spins around and
stories told to us all as children and
stories we made for ourselves as adults and
stories we know all too true
what we play is
the moments we were left frozen
paralyzed, we couldn't breathe, time
stopped and there was nothing left to do

except play.

What we play is
life.

No substitutes.

My sketch of Louis Armstrong