don’t explain away

they’ll tell you to
explain away
the feelings that you feel
when the music comes on,
when your favorite performer
wails, when
it hits you in the deepest part of
your heart---
they’ll tell you to
press those feelings down,
for the stirring that they
create may very well propel you
to want more &
to ask more of this life
than they want to give &
you’ll be told
that there is no “they,”
that everyone needs to
come to the same conclusions
at some point, that there are
some things that happen
because “that’s just the way it
is” & you’ll be expected to
lay down on the ground
so that they can walk all over---
you’ll be expected to shut up
&
be “normal,” to
baaaaaaaa with the rest of the
sheep, that legendary herd
responsible for doing nothing
when tragedy strikes, for always
turning their heads when faced
with violence, for always
wanting things to be quiet &
simple---
but the music is still there,
just as when you were younger,
it vibrates, it echoes, it
drives the messages home
right up your spine, nestling
in your head where they can’t
get at it, if you don’t let them &
if you don’t explain away how
the music makes you feel,
then you will never lose it,
then you will always have
something that you can share
with others, always have a
conversation starter, always
have memories to bookmark
with the melodies, which you
can draw upon & make
friends with, always be able to
bask in the warmth that
these feelings provide &
it can’t be taken away,
it can’t be stolen,
no matter how hard others will
try.