Poetry Reading: Beneath the Surface, by Christian Chu

Performed by Val Cole

POEM:

1
The cello stands in silence, holding
Its breath.
In one baton flick,
everything changes.

2
In music, rests and notes possess equal power –
Practice both. You’ll discover
life’s balance.

3
Framed family photos hang,
smiles obscuring the fights before the
CLICK
Now, love and laughter are all that’s captured
in the snapshots’ glow.

4
Nothing will be handed
to you on a silver platter.
Chase after the waiter
and only then will you uncover
the cloche and its rewards.

5
Tempting you through the glass,
college hoodies with bold colors and stitched logos
vie for your attention.
Don’t succumb to their calls
until you’ve thought it through:
wait
for the right one to fit.

6
Instruments gather on stage,
different in shape and sound.
Their many tunes become one
and the pressure on the lone cello is
dispersed.

7
The gold-coated watch dulls
with each passing tick,
while our past shines brighter than any gilded surface.
The richness of our experiences
hold more value than gold
ever could.