stepping out of the brick office building
in the industrial stretch of that main drag between the cities
into the twilight winter evening
I board the crosstown bus
bundled up with the other commuters
our warm breath fogging the windows
we start and stop and start and stop and I
get off downtown to transfer to the southbound home
but first
into the downtown main library
where there is a music room
and a grand piano
and banks of shelves with sheet music
I don’t know who I am in this place
a California girl sojourning in the frozen upper midwest
working a day job
trying to figure it out
but for one hour, I am a musician again
someone I have been my whole life long
feeling myself flow out through my fingers
and back into my ears
piecing myself back together
with a beautiful piece
by Bach