courage

today i found out about courage.
how silent the enemy can be,
how unsuspecting all of us truly are:
and in that precise moment we find ourselves
weeping for what was and what is
and what it forever will be.
courage shows when you smile.

you smile like no one else does
because you brighten everyone's day with it.
you are the victim here --
should you be smiling?
the silence makes the rest of us ill
but you stifle the silence oh so well
with your relentless assault of music.

your fingers dance over the keys of the piano,
leaving traces of unbridled joy and passion:
a piece of your soul
ingrained forever in the notes
floating in the air,
catching our attention,
making us yours.

Spain flies with Open Arms
and cries for Tears in Heaven
as they stumble over Maple Leaf Rags
in a Caravan,
suffering from Narcolepsy,
remembering all too well Christmastime
and memories of Skating.

your hair bobbles
as you turn your head ever-so-nonchalantly
keeping time with the music
closing your eyes
feeling the beat
letting it all out without saying a single word.
i admire you so much.

the music lets you cry like you never have.
we never see the tears because
you are a proud individual,
too smart and too kind.
in the end we only see your radiant
smile
and it gives us courage.

we tell you to keep smiling
and to never forget
(as if we ever could)
and there you flash
trademark teeth
façade ineffable.
you have so much courage.