3/29/2011

Out of Tune and Way Off Key

I know how it's supposed to go.
I heard all the songs. I memorized
The words and waited for them to come true.
That’s, after all, what love is supposed to do.

You came into my life, and the orchestra played.
But the tune was off key, at least to my ear.
You danced to the rhythm, keeping the beat
While I covered my ears and tripped over my feet.

I listened for violins and guitars and a flute.
Instead I got drums and banjos and horns that toot.
The rhythm and tempo and melody were all wrong.
But one thing I know; this is truly our song.

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Written for One Shot Wednesday, hosted by One Stop Poetry.  Stop by and congratulate the One Stop team. They just won the 2011 Shorty Award in Art!


20 comments:

  1. Awww . . well sometimes people dance to the beat of a different drum and still manage to get along. In my experience, there are more horns than violins.

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  2. you know...as long as you can dance it together...its the right song...smiles.

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  3. Having a 'song' with someone is all that counts. Happy to have found you through OneShot :)

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  4. A fun poem and I like the ending!

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  5. The songs life sings rarely end up being anything like the sheet music set before us. But the surprise can be magical in its own right...it's not what we thought we wanted, but what we thought we wanted wasn't real, now was it? Splendid little piece cornering the truths of love and life. Great, smile-stirring end.

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  6. Do we ever really know what our song is before-hand? Maybe sometimes, but I think that we need to make our own music to whatever the band is playing in the moment.

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  7. Wonderful we are meant to write our own songs and play our own instruments and enjoy every moment of this life in all its wonder ---making music everyday....fun read..it brought a smile to my face..thank you...bkm

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  8. I think the song is made up as we go along. Great words.

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  9. So true. We write our own music with the notes we've been given. It can be a lovely song.

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  10. You expect Beethoven. You get 'The Stones'.

    But you dance anyway. Maybe the sound, beat and tempo aren't what you expected, but the underlying music is good.

    I hear ya, Sister.

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  11. Drums, banjos and horns can be fun...sometimes.

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  12. As long as it sounds good to you and moves you (heart or feet), that's all that matters!

    Nice One Shot, PK!

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  13. The last line really says it all! These lines made me start tapping my feet and swaying to unheard music (likely xylophones and handbells).

    If we only ever heard the instruments we thought we wanted to hear... we'd miss out on a lot.

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  14. The rhythm and tempo and melody were all wrong.
    But one thing I know; this is truly our song.

    so well said. coming from a man with two left feet who is married to a woman who loves to dance, i get it. somehow i thought of the movie 'the other sister' and the scene where the young man puts on his favorite song..."76 trombones" good stuff here my friend!

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  15. ha - what do you have against horns...smiles (i'm an alto sax player..) sometimes the music makes no sense and it sounds like free jazz in relationships at times, right? we always have to adapt the music we make and maybe discover new styles and beats on the way..

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  16. In the Monkey house, I am the one tripping over feet and dancing to the different tune even when the music is our song. Love this.

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  17. Funny how things can work out without working as planned. Good job. Vb

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  18. The 'real thing' is never the way we expect it to be. Glad you found your REAL thing.

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  19. Wonderful personal ode to a true love, Patti! I wrote on music this week too, but more life-song than love-song.

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  20. I'm struck by the fact that this poem can be interpreted in diametrically opposite ways.

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