I have a piece of music that I love. It is written in a foreign language, and I don’t understand the words. When I listen to it I always think that I can just pick out the odd word in English – it interests me how my mind latches on to the familiar, even when it is just an illusion of familiarity. Every time I hear it – every time – it makes me want to cry, but not because it makes me sad. Every time I hear it – every time – I have to stop what I am doing and really listen to it. Every time I hear it – every time – I hope that everyone has a piece of music, or a piece of art, or a piece of writing, or a piece of memory, or a piece of something that they hold close, and that makes them really feel something every time. I never ever tire of it.
For a long time I didn’t want to know what the words said. I felt that nothing could really live up to what that music meant in my head. If I knew what it said, would I feel differently about it? Could I really trust that the composers had written the right words to go with it? Did I love it more because the words were just part of the music to me, because I couldn’t understand what they said? Would understanding diminish it?
But I’m not a very patient person, and I’m not good at heeding my own counsel, so I looked up a translation of the words. And they were perfect. The song is about jumping in puddles. That’s it, it’s very simple. But now I understand why the music sparkles, and makes me feel joyful and nostalgic. I am glad every day that someone out there has written a beautiful song about the joys of being alive, and feeling lively enough to jump into those puddles like you did when you were a kid, not just mutter about the weather and put your umbrella up.
I have a piece of music that I love. It is written in a foreign language, but I think I understand it.
Brosandi
Written for 2 Word Challenge – Lively and Sparkle
WanderingAuthor, 29 days ago
I really enjoyed this. Of course, since I actually like listening to music in languages I don’t understand (I can write, and words won’t thrust themselves into my head that way), it spoke to me very directly. Still, I think most of us do have something we hold close that makes us feel something every time. I feel sorry for those who have no such thing in their lives.
filfil, 29 days ago
What I liked most was the questioning in the middle. You love something so much that you don’t want anything to ruin it. Great writing!
Emma Robinson in reply to WanderingAuthor’s comment, 29 days ago
Good I’m glad you liked it – I was having a bit of a crisis of confidence yesterday, and thinking that I was a bit of a fraud doing any writing, and that my beginners luck had caused my ego to run away with me and keep producing stuff…. and then I listened to this song and felt compelled to document my love for it! As I say above – I’m not very good at heeding my own counsel!
Emma Robinson in reply to filfil’s comment, 29 days ago
Thanks filfil – this one is straight from the heart to the keyboard really, so I’m glad you like it.
filfil, 29 days ago
What does the title mean?
Emma Robinson in reply to filfil’s comment, 29 days ago
The title is the first word of the song – the translation I have read states that it means ‘smiling’, which I think fits very nicely.
Miri, 29 days ago
Emma, this is soooo lovely, bought tears to my eyes just reading it, so NO crisis of confidence please :-)...i too have music and books and art like that, you’ve really tapped into a powerful feeling here
Emma Robinson in reply to Miri’s comment, 29 days ago
Oh mate! No tears please! But thank you for your lovely comment – I really appreciate it. I’m glad you have lots of things that make you feel that way – think life would be a bit glum without that stuff
xxxx