Hands dance across keys
where music breathes
life
into my soul
Like a movie screen
my history is seen
upon these ivories
where memories are made
how I reminisce
and make believe
that she is sitting
here with me
oh the conversations I’ve played
loud and soft
slow and sweet
she and I-
that’s where we meet
on this weathered
piano seat
I was given the piano in the photo above by my grandmother as my wedding gift, almost 18 years ago. It was my great-grandmother’s, and she passed it down to my grandmother. We lived nearly 5 hours away from her, so I really treasured our visits to her home. One of the things that I couldn’t wait to do when we arrived was play her piano. It had the warmest, richest tone and even my measly “hot-cross-buns” sounded like a symphony on it. I didn’t get to see her very often, but she always held a special place in my heart.
Over the last 18 years, it has traveled up and down several flights of stairs, been played by hundreds of piano students, and has moved many times. I purchased an antique baby grand piano about 5 years ago and thought about getting rid of my grandmother’s piano-
But I couldn’t.
Too many memories. It is the only thing that connects me to her. She passed away nearly 15 years ago, and this was her gift to me. It was more than just a piece of furniture- it was part of my grandmother’s history.
And as strange as it may sound, when I sit at that piano, I feel close to her. Sometimes in those moments, I go back into time and I am that little girl- wishing to play something to make Grandmother proud.
I was raised in a musical family so I can understand the affinity of instruments. I love playing the piano and wish for my own again one day. Lovely poem 🙂
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Thank you so much for reading and commenting 🙂 I pulled out my Christmas books today and sat down to play…and I kept remembering little things about my Grandmother. I hope you get a piano of your own someday soon 🙂 Blessings to you!
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A touching post, Julie. My great grandmother left me something that I could never part with that is very special to me. I understand completely. Thank you for reminding me of it tonight.
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Thanks for sharing that, Levi 🙂 We had a quiet day at home and it was lovely- and I had lots of time to reminisce and play Christmas music. I wrote the poem today and shared with my girls little things I remembered about my Grandmother. Memories are wonderful things 🙂
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This is very beautiful post, I have my grandmother’s cedar chest, she gave it to me to use as a hope chest when I was a teen, I still have it and now it is full of memories such as pictures my kids drew in school etc. I hope to pass it along one day to one of my daughters. But for now I am not ready to give it away because it reminds me of her.
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Thank you, T 🙂 How special that you have your grandmothers cedar chest! And just think- you are making new memories with it for your daughters! I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving 🙂
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Thank you, I did and I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving too 🙂
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This is a beautiful tribute. 🙂
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Thank you for your kind words 🙂 Blessings to you!
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I don’t believe you could part with such a precious gift. It’s almost as if you have a piece of her with you. 🙂
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It is a treasure! Hopefully I will be able to pass it down to one of my daughters one day 🙂
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