Learning to Walk the Tune

Learning to Walk the Tune

At first
It felt like following someone who knew the tune.
Walking that unfamiliar path, 
Balancing the bow lightly on the strings,
Ready to travel wherever the melody went,
Weight shifting, core wobbling over black ice.
Loose gravel, uneven concrete.
High and low surprises in the pattern,
Long or short notes, up, down on the strings.

Fingers poised over the neck,
Quick, but not always fast enough,
Finding the right note, first, third, predictable arpeggio,
Always a little late on that weak fourth. not used often
Feet mostly landing on pavement,
But not always.
Sometimes sliding on ice, adjusting quickly to firmer footing
Except when that knee
The right one,
Twinges and misses, painful lurch.
Off note.

By the time the tune has gone round a few times,
And I have rounded a few corners on the switchback path,
I have the rhythm of it.
Ready for repetitions,
For the feel of the same slide,
Got my balance
Got the melody
With all of the necessary swing.