Sound Check

The spotlight burns hot,
Distorting the faces of those I know, and the strangers in the audience.
I can hear feedback from the amps,
White noise and popping,
As if hollow and waiting to be filled.
The intro is a bit shaky.
I stumble over the first three chords.
Silence fills the crowd.
Then, something happens.
A jolt,
A twitch,
A flicker,
And the music has worked it's will.
Taking over my body.
My mind.
My soul.
It has me, now, by the heart strings.
Tugging away furiously,
Reaching into my inner core.
I can feel the power thrumming through me as people begin to clap.
I hear someone cheer,
Then another.
Then a whistle.
I don't know where these things are coming from,
And some of it I know I don't even notice.
Im way too far gone.
People stand to their feet as my fingers run like liquid over the fret board.
I build to a climax,
Then, when I have the audience at full attention,
I stop.
No more guitar.
A pause seems to last several millennia.
A hear a "shhhh!" from the stands.
I can't see their faces, but I can feel their eyes on me.
And I begin to sing again.
This time, accapella.
The song dies.
Comes to a crawl.
Sounds desperate.
Slowly, my fingers find their way back to the fret board.
First, simply picking a few strings,
Then, as if lighting up a bottle rocket,
I'm off again.
Stronger and faster than before.
Building the song back to it's final horrah.
It's close comes,
I strum the last chord,
Inhale for the first time.
And then there was the applause.
I could have lived of the applause.
I wanted to dive in and roll around in it.
People on their feet,
Screaming and hollering right into my ears.
Then, I smile.
Stand up.
And walk away.
What a rush.