poeM oF thE daY

String Theory

There are seven strings
each of which provides the possibility
of connecting two souls
if it short circuits properly.
One of those strings is sex, of course.
Why else would you make that ridiculous face?
And one of them is music.
You'll have to figure the other five  out for yourself--
I'm just stating the obvious.

When Nick Harper is onstage playing his guitar
and he breaks a string
every member of the audience
who is not a neophyte 
smiles and leans forward
anxious for the string change part of the show.
I've talked to Nick a few times
(Clonakilty, Chicago, and Norfolk)
and although (of course) I didn't ask him about that,
having spoken to him I feel sure
that he never plans to break a string
though of course is not averse
nor, for that matter, surprised
when it happens.
He plays as if he doesn't care about breaking strings.
Which is the way we're supposed to live, too.
But when the string breaks
and Nick does the string change bit
(yes, he'll ham it up and enjoy that moment)
and that loose string sparks against our souls
we short circuit and our hair becomes electric
and we sing, connected.

And when Shara Worden sings
that broken wire in her soul comes free
and when it brushes against my soul
I feel the empty places filling up
with white lava
and it is what I imagine
a diesel engine must feel like
when it is steam cleaned
and all the matted sludge and filth
peels off and leaves
shiny chrome and steel revealed.

That's my theory, anyway.