tempo rubato by. isabel li

i play on strings of sunlight:

fingertips running through a gentle herbal meadow

as i hold—tenuto, like a fleeting breath

a dying melody, perhaps so

i strike a timbre of timber, a heartbeat of a flame

waltzing in a thyme’s soprano

wandflowers weep in a larghetto wind

whence a ballad whispers from a brazen willow

i pluck the pitch of a single lavender sprig

oscillating with its twilit shadow

for all it accompanies

a lyrical birdsong solo

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Written by. Isabel Li

Painting by. Claude Monet

Isabel Li is an 18-year-old writer based in Southern California. As a student in the Claremont Colleges, she is currently pursuing degrees in media studies and music. When she’s not actively brainstorming ideas for her next story or poem, you can find her sculpting, drawing, or indulging in a romantic-era symphony.