Pickin' Party || Alli Rogers Dahlgren

I didn't know any of their names 
I don't remember why or how I got invited 
I know it was raining as I parked along the long black driveway hiding 
in the hills of Belle Meade

Once inside, I took my place on a stiff chair around the circle 
too young to drink the wine
too stranger to embrace and laugh 
yet one of them, still

"you remind us of another young girl that used to come" they told me, 
and handed me a guitar. 

the song I chose to play was in the humble key of C
but that didn't matter 
Their eyes still twinkled and they met me there 
in my offering 
fingers picking and voices humming 

my own voice heard 
and held 
and released 
like a bubble from a child's wand

...floating

for a magical moment
never meant to be captured; only enjoyed. 

on it went- the magic being passed around the circle 
as if for that night- if only for that night
we were equals

children, really
playing together in the woods