Open Chords Played on Steel Strings

You sing . . .
Picking at a guitar
Harmonica resting on your slow breathing chest
Battered lyrics, broken voice
Straining to tell stories few understand, some relate
Only you feel its pain
You are . . .
Steel strings
Of an acoustic guitar
Easily broken, snapped in two
Strummed one too many songs
Bleeding fingers
Callused soul on rusted time
Tuned you are . . .
Forbidden notes
Dancing fingers playing with death
Waltzing on dreams
You are . . .
An instrument of change, sharing pain
Open chords played on steel strings