Shine and Rise a TED Poem

Shine and Rise (a TED poem)

I lit a match,
thinking it would burn a small fire in my hands—
but the wind of the Great Divine
blew it sideways,
up into the night,
into someplace I didn’t plan to go.

A riff in my head,
too big for my fingers,
became a bridge between my wanting
and someone else’s mastery.
I let go—
and the music came back carrying more light than I gave it.

Shine first,
and see what rises.
That’s the lesson this song hums to me,
over clipped drums and an almost too-loud mix,
the kind of raw honesty
you don’t fix in post.

Shine first,
and watch the room rise with you—
one heart,
one note,
one wild,
holy roar.

-- Scaffy